See Beneath Your Perfect
by romeothewriter
Summary: "I don't want you to be perfect! I just want you to be mine. That may sound a million times harder to you, but I know that you can do it because you need that control, and I can handle being your arch rival because in the end, hating me is just your way of loving me and I love that about you." One is closed in and wound up. One is closed off and worn down. Slight AU.
1. Rape Whistles and Gal Pals

**_A/N: Hey, guys! Yes, I'm back. So first, this isn't a sequel to If You Could See Me Now. I'm honestly not sure about continuing that one because I sort of milked that cow dry in the words of one of my closest reading buddies lol. I can explain this story though. Im not sure how you will receive it, but I watched a movie with my best friend, and she made me watch it like three times because I kept getting sidetracked so then it was stuck in my head, and I just had to do it. This is different for me too so please bare with me. Some slow development, BUT I do have five chapters written right now so I'll just update it when we get to like 10 reviews or something so I dont go too fast. Okay, here goes nothing._**

* * *

_Slam, slam, oh hot damn_

_What part of a party don't you understand?_

_Wish you'd just freak out_

_(Freak out already)_

_Can't stop, coming in hot_

_I should be locked up right on the spot_

_It's so on right now_

_(It's so fucking on right now)_

_Party crasher, panty snatcher_

_Call me up if you're a gangsta_

_Don't be fancy, just get dance-y_

_Why so serious?_

_So raise your glass if you are wrong_

_In all the right ways, all my underdogs_

_We will never be, never be anything but loud_

_And nitty, gritty, dirty, little freaks_

_Won't you come on and come on and_

_Raise your glass_

* * *

She knew where she was going. No need to pay any mind to the overactive blonde and her spiel on not blowing the BU rape whistle "unless it's actually happening." However, she wished she had no idea where she was going. That would infer that she had never been to Barden. It would suggest that her father was not a teacher there. Well, hell, all of this is above her true desire. Her desire is to not be here at all then it wouldn't matter whether she knew where she was going or not. College had never been in the blueprint. She had never planned to be sacrificed to the world of collegiate academics and sorority girl or that of the like. Her father had only been back in her life for six months, and all of a sudden, he has her enrolled on his stomping grounds. She can only hope that nothing is expected from her as a daughter. He won't even be getting much as a student because she was supposed to be living the dream in LA not prepping it up in Georgia's most prestigious private university.

She could never understand her parents, either of them. Being the spawn of Dr. Mitchell and Senator Abram was not exactly as impressive as it sounded to many. She had basically raised herself. Her mother was always gone, and her father had walked out long ago. It was understandable that he was intimidated by his wife's status, but there was no justification of leaving his daughter without reason or rhyme and starting a new family just an hour away. He had not made any effort to call her apart from birthdays, and he never visited or invited her over. She was ashamed to admit that at age fourteen, which by her standards is much too old for such self-pity, she was one to wait sit outside on her porch with a duffle bag waiting for her father to rescue her. When her mother was far away, and the kids at school had been especially cruel to her, she expected him to come, to be her savior, her father. Needless to say, he never came, and in that time, she had hardened her shell and cased up her heart. Her fortress had been intricately designed, complete with a moat full of poisonous snakes and ruthless piranha. Her walls were high, the entire structure fortified over the years, and the only who could fully slip inside was Benji. She was friendly. She made friends, but she held them at arms' length, and that would not change anytime soon.

She could not even be mildly comforted by the fact that her dorky best friend was attending Barden as well because they couldn't share a dorm, and he had come two days before her, so they had yet to see each other. They would have classes together based on the fact that they needed to complete the remainder of their prerequisites, but she was continually convinced that she would never see enough of Benji. Of course not. They had been inseparable for the last ten years growing up next door to one another. He had been the one to jump the fence every Saturday morning to watch cartoons with her. He had been the one to open up his window and construct a rope ladder she could climb up to his room when her parents' screaming matches prevented her from proper sleep. He had always been her rock, and she thanked him more so now than ever for opting for attending Barden rather than Stanford like he had once dreamed of.

She made her way into Baker Hall and up to her dorm room in due time, dropping her duffle bag at the foot of her bed and placing her laptop bag on the desk. Her roommate, whoever that may be had yet to arrive. Beca was only hoping it wasn't some weird girl or the killer type although if it were any other type, they would probably think that about her. She shook off the thought of overwhelming curiosity and unpacked her belongings. She set up her DJ equipment and song books, arranging them in her usual precise manner, the only thing she was precise about. Not to say that she didn't pay attention to detail, but she was never one to force things. She went with the flow and allowed herself freedom. Spontaneity was her motto.

As she put the finishing touches on a mix she had been working on, the door opened up, and she expected to at last be greeted with her roommate. To her disdain, it was her father. Warren Mitchell, a tall and lanky, balding brunette with a goofy smile and the ability to sweep past transgressions under the rug. Once upon a time, he was Beca's idol. She thought the world of the man with all of his philosophical knowledge and and literary intellect. He would read to her, and he taught her at a young age. He told her tales that made the most profound ideas possible, bringing magic to life. Then, he walked out one day and never looked back, leaving Beca only with a kiss on her forehead as she slept and not a word to justify his actions. Therefore, now, though he pretended that they had never been apart, Beca held the most solidified grudge.

"Hey, Becs!" he greeted gleefully, going in for a hug before she stepped aside quickly.

"Hey," she grumbled back.

He covered up by putting his hands on his hips, looking around and surveying the room. "So-when did you get here? How did you get here?"

"Just a bit ago. I took a cab. Didn't wanna inconvenience you and the step monster."

He cringed at the term. "Becs, is this really how it's gonna be? I mean-"

She turned to him now. "Dad, if you dragged me here to try and savor what's left of what you let pass as a father-daughter relationship, just save it now. I don't wanna be here. I wanna be in LA making music. I don't wanna hear your criticisms or any of it."

"Becs, I-"

Before he could continue, the door opened up again, and someone stumbled inside. Beca peered around her father to find a rather large blonde carrying multiple suitcases. Beca quickly stepped over, taking some of the baggage and setting it near her bed.

"Oy," the blonde huffed. "Thank you, squirt."

Beca quirked an eyebrow. "You must be Amy," she cautiously determined. "I'm Beca."

"_Fat _Amy," the blonde corrected.

"You call yourself-Fat Amy?"

"Yeah, so twig bitches like you don't do it behind my back."

Beca smirked before scanning over all of the bags. "Interesting. So, did you pack up your entire childhood and bring it over, or..."

"Oy, I had to bring it all from Tasmania. I gave away a lot of stuff to my boyfriends, to remember me and all, but there was still so much."

"Understood."

"Hi, Amy," Warren now greeted, shaking the Aussie's hand. "I'm Dr. Mitchell, Beca's dad. I teach comparative literature."

"Ooh, Beca, lucky you," she whispered.

"Tell me about it," Beca huffed. "Okay, Dad, well I'm gonna spend some time with my super good new friend Amy, so please excuse yourself."

"Right, well, maybe we can have dinner sometime this-"

"Bye, Dad."

Beca opened the door, gesturing her father to make his exit. He opened his mouth several times to say something but snapped it shut each time. At last, he relented with a sigh and a weak smile. Beca closed the door behind him before slumping back on her bed. Amy chuckled softly as she began pulling things out of her bag.

"So, what are you studying?" Amy asked.

"Anything to get my dad off my back," Beca replied. "I wanna be a DJ though."

"Oh, DJ! wicka wicka, wha!" She moved her hands in the air as if scratching turntables. "There's a radio station on campus. Maybe you can get an internship there."

"Oh yeah? Maybe I'll check that out."

Suddenly Beca was being jerked to her feet. "Well, come on then."

"Where are we going?"

"To the activities fair. That's where the party's at. They've been waiting for my sexy fat ass."

Beca chuckled but relented, following her roommate out of their dorm room. "What are you studying?"

"I'm not sure yet. Keeping my options open, ya know."

"Why did you come to college in America?"

"Well, my parents own a lot of businesses around the world, and I've been here a lot during summers. I liked it, so I though, eh, why not? It got me away from all my boyfriends."

"That's good reasoning, I suppose."

The girls pushed through the front doors of the dorm and down onto the lush, green quad. They entered a zone littered by various booths where clubs were recruiting new members. One booth entitled Barden DJ's caught Beca's eyes, and the two made their way over.

"DJ," Amy sighed before reading the smaller print on the poster. "Ooh, Def Jews."

The boys running the stand turned to them now with a clipboard in hand.

"Shalom!" one greeted.

Amy leaned over the table with her loud reply. "That's not a real word! Keep trying!"

Beca smirked. "Not a lot of Jewish people where you're from?"

"Nah, but I did do-Fiddler on the Roof in high school. It was me and some aboriginals. It was _really_ Jewish." She looked up at the boy once more. "Hey, guys." They only stared at her curiously. "Alright, I'll give you my number."

Beca chuckled, and she took that as her cue to move along. Amy disappeared within moments as Beca searched for the radio station's booth. When she spotted it over the horde of student heads, she rushed towards it. Before she reached it however, she barreled into a solid body, and she was thrown back. She was barely able to gain her footing before landing on her ass, and a hand shot out and locked around her wrist, pulling her up.

"My bad," she breathed sheepishly.

"No problem," the girl replied with a smile.

Beca took in the girl before her now. She was about Beca's height and Amy's size with pink-streaked hair and darker skin. She was dressed in a plaid red and black shirt over a red tanktop, similar to Beca's attire though her color scheme was blue and black.

"I'm Cynthia Rose," she introduced, offering Beca a hand. "But you can call me CR."

Beca took it and gave it a shake. "Beca," she replied.

"Radio station intern?"

"Yup."

"Come on."

The two reached the booth, taking the fliers on display before signing their name and contact information on the list that lay upon the desk. They were actually the only two that were currently signed up, and Beca wasn't sure if that was a good sign or an alarming one. She shrugged it off and inspected the paper in her hand.

"You into music then?" Cynthia Rose asked.

"Yeah, DJ," Beca returned, eyes still glued to the flier. "You?"

"Singer and rapper. I write songs too."

"Oh, yeah. So do I."

"That's dope. What building?"

"Baker Hall."

"Same here. Did you get a cool roomie?"

Beca chuckled. "Yeah, she's pretty cool. Her name's Amy, but she calls herself Fat Amy."

CR laughed. "Why?"

"So twig bitches don't do behind her back. Her words. not mine."

"Sounds interesting."

"Yeah, she's from Tasmania. What about yours?"

"She's smokin'." The two chortled. "Her name's Stacie."

"A fan of the fairer sex then?"

"Indeed."

"Well, we have another thing in common then."

"Really then? Huh, nice! So we can be bros."

"I'm game."

"Well, why don't chill with us tonight? We already have some friends here, and she knows some seniors that can get the booze, so we agreed to have a bit of a party down at the abandoned pool on the east side of campus. Bring your roommate, and we'll go down together. Just meet us up front at eight."

"Sounds good. We'll be there."

Amy was all for socializing, so when Beca suggested they accept CR's offer, the blonde was all for it. The two freshened up after lounging around their room, Amy demonstrating mermaid and pirate dancing for her roommate to the brunette's humor, then they headed downstairs. When they reached the front entrance, Beca spotted Cynthia Rose standing beside a girl with long, brown hair, legs for days and a generous amount of cleavage protruding from her low-cut shirt. Beca had to agree with CR that the girl was hot. When they reached the pair, introductions were made once more where Stacie asked Amy the same question that Beca had regarding the "Fat" prefix, and she also received the same answer. This elicited a giggle from the tall brunette as they headed down to the abandoned pool.

"So, DJ, huh?" Stacie asked Beca.

"Yup," Beca replied. "What about you?"

"I sing a little."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah."

"What are you studying here?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Join the club."

"Yeah, I guess we were all just coming to get our parents off of our backs."

"I'm with you there."

"I am joining a sorority though."

"Really?" Beca feigned a sour look. "I never pegged you as...no, never mind. I did."

She laughed as Stacie smacked her arm. "What pegs me as such?"

"Sorority girls usually look like something out of a magazine centerfold."

"Okay, Casanova. I guess we're not wasting time earning brownie points."

"I'm not one to waste time."

When they arrived, there were already several people setting up kegs and a table covered in various bottles of liquor. Beca had already texted Benji an invite, and he was down there talking with his roommate Donald. When he saw Beca, he flashed his wide grin and bounded over to her, picking her up in a tight hug.

"It's been so long, Ben!" Beca squealed sarcastically, rolling her eyes as he set her down.

"Yeah, a whole seventy-two hours, but who's counting!" he replied with a chuckle. "How was the ride up here?"

"It was okay. I just fell asleep, so..."

"It was like an hour. How did you fall asleep?"

"You know me."

"Did you see your mom before you-"

"No." Her smile faltered slightly. "She's back in Washington already."

"Ah, the life of a senator, huh?"

"You mean the life of a _daughter _of a senator. I don't even know if she knows I came to college."

"Sorry about that, Becs."

"It's fine. Your mom and dad had me over for breakfast before I left, so it was okay."

"Yeah, they were pretty excited that you were coming."

"They just wanted me to watch over you," she smirked.

"Yeah, so I don't get beaten up for still playing with Star Wars action figures."

They chuckled. "You tell me if they do. I'll hit them."

"I know you will."

"How's your roommate about it all?"

"He's actually pretty cool. Aside from the nerdy aspect of me, we have a lot of the same music tastes. He's a rapper."

"Oh, so you replaced me then?"

He giggled. "Never. We go way back, B."

"You got that right. Now, come on. Let's get some drinks."

The two headed over to the keg where they were each handed a cup of foaming amber liquid, and Beca chugged hers down quickly before requesting another. She could get used to this aspect of the college scene. She was quick to agree when Stacie asked her to dance, and when Amy handed her three shots, she threw each of them back in stride. CR introduced her to her friends Denise, Lily and Jessica as well. They were very nice girls, even though Lily thoroughly creeped her out with what seemed to be a permanent hushed tone, and Beca found them easy to talk to. As she took her fifth beer from the man regulating the keg, Stacie was before her once more.

"Beca, this is my best friend, Chloe," she introduced, gesturing to the girl beside her.

Beca looked up to see a tall girl with bright, red hair and big blue eyes that popped even in the dim lighting. Beca froze a moment, intrigued by those eyes and soon becoming lost in them. When she came to, she smiled up at the redhead, shaking her hand.

"I guess behind every hot girl is her hot best friend, right?" Beca smirked, liquid courage coursing through her muddled brain.

Chloe giggled, a sweet sound. "I guess so. Stacie didn't say how sweet you were."

"I don't like to share, and you know that," Stacie retorted. "Sorry though, B, she's taken by some frat boy tool."

Beca chuckled. "It's okay. I probably won't remember this in the morning."

"Really? Because I think we're gonna be fast friends," Chloe replied, stepping closer to the DJ.

"Well, I won't remember verbally checking you out in the morning is what I mean."

"I don't mind."

"But your boyfriend might."

"So?"

Beca quirked an eyebrow. "Hmm. Well then. I'll try to remember."

"Good."

Beca didn't remember, but it wouldn't be the last time that she flattered the pair. The remainder of her first week at Barden consisted of her morning workout, skipping classes, getting drunk with Stacie, Amy, Chloe and CR, and making mixes. In addition to that, she started a daily shift at the radio station with the station manager, a tall British blonde named Luke, and CR. She wasn't able to play music like she had originally hoped. Freshmen weren't even allowed in the booth. The two girls spent their times stacking CDs, but occasionally, her and CR would break out in song, rapping and singing and giggling at one another's choices to belt out. She would hand a flash drive to Luke once a week full of her mixes, but this had yet to harvest results. Still, it was nice having something to do outside of the classes she didn't attend. She knew it wouldn't last forever though, so when Warren showed up in her room during her third Thursday without attending a single class, she couldn't say that she was surprised. She was asleep when he began to shake her.

"Funny, this doesn't look like your statistics class," he noted aloud sardonically, looking around.

"I've been monitoring my own statistics," she replied without a hitch, sitting up in bed. "How many classes could I skip before my dad tried and failed to get me to actually go to one?"

"Come on, Becs. You've been here almost a month, and you're already way behind."

"Might as well give up now then."

"Beca, I know that you're mad. I understand. Your mom and I have not been much help or very reliable for you, but I mean, we want you to make something of yourself. This is a free education."

"You think that buys you some sort of gratitude?"

"No, but it gives you a chance to have a backup plan. Look, you wanna go to L.A. and be P. Diddy, fine. Here's my compromise. If you go to all of your classes and finish out this year with above a B average, you can drop out of college, and I-I will help you move to LA."

She tensed at this, eyes wide open. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously, but I have to see the effort here, Beca. Who knows? You might just enjoy it."

"Sure."

"Now, get going. You have Intro to Philosophy in half an hour with Dr. P."

Beca said nothing more. She gathered her toiletries and clothes before making her way down to the communal showers. She quickly washed up before drying off and pulling her clothes on. After applying her usual eyeliner and eye shadow, she returned to her room and grabbed her bag with untouched notebooks and the Philosophy textbook she had yet to crack open. She supposed it couldn't come with much difficulty. One year was much better than four. She just had to survive one year in that godforsaken place, and she was home free, off to LA to make her dreams come true. Then her parents could do what they had been doing for years, pretending they didn't have a daughter. It was a win-win. She could totally handle this.

Beca had never expected what she discovered when she arrived in her Intro to Philosophy class, her first time attending it. She understood that Barden was a very private university, but the classes were quite small. It was a very compact room with no more than two dozen seats, but only eight people were currently inside of the room. At the front of the class stood a tall, blonde woman. Her hair was pulled up into a tight bun, and her skirt and blue blazer were creased perfectly. Her lips were pursed, and she stood in the most perfect posture Beca had ever seen. The brunette could immediately guess that she was an uptight woman judging by her stance, but what she noticed as well was how young she seemed. She didn't look much older than a senior, and Beca quirked an eyebrow at this. As she scrutinized the woman, the blonde's bright green eyes snapped up and met her steel blue gaze. The intensity of them almost caused Beca to shudder, and she quickly looked away. She saw Benji and Chloe sitting near the back of the class, so she made her way over to them.

"Yo," Beca greeted as Benji bumped her fist and Chloe kissed her cheek. She settled between them. "What's with the teacher?"

"Well, you would _know _had you not been skipping class," Chloe chided lightly.

"Shut it, Red." Beca then had to double take as she looked at the redhead with bulging eyes. "Wait, you're in this class?"

Chloe giggled. "See what I mean?"

The brunette shrugged. "I didn't even know you were a freshman honestly."

"Do I look that old?"

"No, but-I mean, I just didn't-I'm gonna shut up now. Seriously though, is she really as wound up as she looks?"

Chloe nodded with a sigh. "She's-intense. She was like a child genius or something and the daughter of Dean Posen on the law block. She's had journals published and stuff, but she's only like twenty-seven or something. She doesn't ease into anything either. It doesn't feel like an intro at all. You just, jump right in."

"Seriously? Wow, what the hell did I sign up for?"

"Just try to keep your snark to a minimal," Benji muttered just as class began.

"Welcome, class," the woman boomed through the space. "I suspect that everyone has turned in last week's assignment." Everyone aside from Beca nodded.

"I'll go over it with you later," Chloe hissed to her.

"K, thanks," Beca replied.

"So, this week, we are discussing offense. How many of you have ever been offended?" Another round of nods. "Okay, so tell me, why is something offensive?"

"Same reason she's uptight," Beca grumbled, and unfortunately for her, the blonde heard her.

"Ah, Miss Mitchell," she called in a sharp tone. "Nice of you to finally join us."

"Thanks," Beca replied with a smirk. "The pleasure's all mine."

"Have you never been offended?"

"I never said that, but-I mean, you know."

"No, I don't know, Miss Mitchell. Please tell me why people should or should not be offended by events. For instance, disruptions in their class."

Now, Beca was anything but ignorant. She had always been capable of many things such as reading at the age of three, and her snark was usually right on point with teachers in high school though said teachers would never readily admit it. She was well educated but on her own terms. She read a lot growing up, especially before her father, ever the academic, walked out on her and her mom. She also indulged in many deep conversations with him. Therefore, though others would call her a smart ass, she would mean it in the most literal sense. Her examples just weren't as prim and proper as many would hope.

"Well, offense is man-made," she sighed. "Everything is neutral until you attach yourself to it. For instance, if I called you uptight right now, you can only be offended if you allow my comment to effect you." There were a few gasps, the loudest from the redhead beside her. "My comment is neutral unless you allow it to be negative or positive. The emotions it's given or the feelings that become attached to the statement is completely up to you."

The professor had a mixture of emotion on her face now. Beca dare say that beneath the nauseous look and the outraged look, the blonde seemed a bit impressed, but she would never expect verbal confirmation. No one ever offered Beca Mitchell praise willingly. It did seem now that the breath had been vacuumed from the room, no one daring to expel that which was in their lungs. The DJ kept her gaze locked with the professor's however, eyes unwavering with a small glint of challenge.

"That's-a very good way to put it, Miss Mitchell," she at last breathed shakily, but soon recovered. "You're smarter than you look."

"Thanks," Beca replied. "You're more uptight than you look as well."

"Did I offend you?"

"Not at all. I'm sure I have though."

"Highly implausible."

"Your eyes say otherwise."

Chloe was blue in the face by the time the class ended. She had been holding a breath throughout the lesson it seemed. The most vocal person in the class was unsurprisingly Beca, but though most of it was snark and sass, all of it made sense, and their professor could not even begin to deny that.

"I think you're going to give Dr. P a heart attack before the semester's over," Benji muttered as they gathered their belongings.

"I was simply answering her questions," Beca returned curtly.

"Miss Mitchell!" Dr. Posen called from the front of the class, causing the trio to cringe. "A word."

Benji and Chloe patted her shoulder sympathetically which she dismissed, expression indifferent.

"We'll be outside," Chloe assured her with an encouraging smile, Beca waving them off.

As her two friends exited the room, Beca approached the professor's desk with what could only be categorized as a pep in her step. Their gazes met again until Beca stood just a few feet from her, the taller woman leaning against her desk.

"Yes, Dr. Posen?" Beca asked innocently.

"You've finally attended a class," she noted aloud.

"I'm aware."

"I appreciate your participation-"

"But?"

"I don't really appreciate your attitude."

"You really don't like me, do you?"

"Like I said, I don't like your attitude."

"You don't even know me."

"Maybe I would if you came to class."

"Or you can talk to my dad. That's what all of the other teachers do."

"Yes, Dr. Mitchell has-warned all of us about you."

"That's nice of him. You should heed the warning."

Beca knew that she was inside that ingenius brain of her professor's. She could see her eyes flashing with several different emotions, her fingers clamping tighter around her own biceps. The purse of her lips further constricted, and the vein in her neck pulsed visibly. Beca did not show any reaction though she noticed each of these tells. She continued to stare down the blonde without fault. At last, the elder broke the dense silence.

"I would just ask that you respect me."

"With all due _respect_, Dr. Posen, I only did what was asked of me. I gave you my take on the matter. Nothing more, nothing less."

Dr. Posen's lips tightened once more, gulping audibly. Beca quirked an eyebrow, taking a small step back as she was sure that the professor's lunch was slowly bubbling up her throat at the moment if the green tinge in her cheeks was anything to go by. At last, the blonde spoke.

"Very well," she breathed. "You're dismissed."

"Have a good day, Dr. Posen," Beca said before turning and walking out.

* * *

"The nerve of that woman!" Beca growled as her, Benji and Chloe headed across the quad later that night after their final class of the day.

"Ugh!"

"Becs, you're forgetting that you challenged her," Chloe pointed out for the nth time.

"She called me out! Jesus, she-it's like she's trying too hard or something, you know. She needs to wind down."

"You've been going on about her for the last four hours," Benji chortled.

"Have not!" Beca retorted.

"Have so. 'Oh, damn Dr. Posen. She's so uptight. She looks like she's about to puke all the time. Why is she so rude? Why can't she smile? What's wrong with her?' Yeah, Becs, all day."

Chloe and Benji burst into laughter at his imitation of the DJ as she scowled at them, her lower lip slightly jutting out.

"Pouting is not a form of badassery at all," Chloe giggled.

"I wasn't pouting," Beca shot back.

"You _are _pouting."

"Am not."

"Real mature."

"Ugh, shut up! So are we meeting Stacie and CR for dinner or what?"

"Stacie said she's ordering pizza."

"Let's go. I'm starved."

"You just had two donuts and a coffee!"

"Your point?"

Chloe sized her up now. "Where do you put it all?"

"She's been that way since we were kids," Benji huffed. "I never figured it out."

"What's your secret?"

"Chloe, you're like a flat hundred pounds. What are you talking about?" Beca burst.

The redhead only shrugged as they entered Baker Hall. Stacie, Amy and Cynthia Rose were already arranged in Stacie and CR's dorm room, and they were currently picking out a movie to watch. Beca settled in between Stacie and Chloe, and the anger that had been flowing through her veins now dissipated. She was content. Maybe getting through the year wouldn't be so hard so long as she stuck close to her friends. Her and Chloe had become close just as the girl had projected during that first party, and Stacie was a really cool person. She came off as a bit ditzy, but she was actually a very intellectual being. Amy was a great roommate too. Sometimes, her and Beca would just lounge around shooting friendly banter back and forth. She would tell Beca Tasmanian anecdotes that had the brunette rolling for hours, and she was always able to make the DJ laugh, but when space or privacy was sought, they could communicate it with only look, and the other would acquiesce without argument. Benji of course was still her best friend, and they hung out when they could. Her and Cynthia Rose had become extremely close as well which was the only reason she hadn't jumped Stacie's bones yet despite the endless flirting the tall brunette did. She had never been one of many friends, but it was the first thing she found at Barden. She only hoped she didn't murder her philosophy teacher before the year was up.


	2. It Is After All My Issue

**_A/N: Okay so there is no end game that's been decided on. I'd like to say that the current pairing is Mitchsen. However, Chloe always seems to weasel her way into my thought process, so there's no definite endgame as of yet since she gets close to Beca as well, but she has a boyfriend, so that's their blurring line for the time being_**

* * *

_Everyday I fight a war against the mirror _

_I can't take the person starin' back at me _

_I'm a hazard to myself _

_Don't let me get me _

_I'm my own worst enemy _

_Its bad when you annoy yourself _

_So irritating _

_Don't wanna be my friend no more _

_I wanna be somebody else_

* * *

She was pragmatic. She was efficient. That was her MO, her forte if you will. She was precise in all aspects of her life. Each suit was ironed twice. Each shirt was starched and hung in her closet, strategically separated by color and designer with a few inches between each garment. Each blouse had a matching skirt and a pair of matching pants. Her shoes were organized in the same manner. Her desk was regulated in a way that only she would understand. Her yellow cup of pens was always exactly sixteen inches northeast of her planner, seven inches from the stapler which always faced west. She only used plain white sticky notes, and she preferred to call them adhesive text pads. No one questioned her. She had become a prodigy at thirteen when she breezed through standardized testing, _high school _standardized testing. She graduated high school at fifteen, and she was sent to the best private university in Georgia, her father's alma mater, Barden University. It was quite an endeavor being Doctor Thomas C. Posen's daughter, Dean of Barden Law. She received her doctorate's degree at age twenty-one and was offered the job as a professor in any department she pleased. After spending a year touring schools and aiding them in enhancing their various programs, she chose to teach Philosophy. It had always been most challenging, and she wanted to challenge her students as rigorously as possible.

She was all work and no play, and it was a wonder that Jesse had remained with her for the last three years. She still couldn't wrap her head around it. Maybe she wanted him to leave. She wasn't entirely sure, but their relationship had only launched due to the fact that Jesse was the only person that her father had approved of so far. Thomas had been the one to introduce them. Jesse was the music composition teacher at Barden, and he had attended the university as well. He was a sweet guy. He was very imaginative with big hopes and dreams for the future, Aubrey's polar opposite to the T, but he remained loyal nonetheless. He was one to dream about settling down in a suburban house with a big family and a german shepherd, but he could not even get her to agree to move in with him much less talk about marriage or children. She dodged the subject flawlessly any time it reared its ugly head, and she was always one step ahead of the man. How he could handle it was beyond all that they associated with, but no one questioned him.

Now, as he walked into the restaurant, on time whereas Aubrey was early as always, fifteen minutes to be exact, she internally sighed in exasperation. He greeted her with a kiss to the cheek as he sat down, his usual boyish grin in place though she conveyed no reaction. He was charming certainly with that grin and his bright brown eyes that always seemed to have a childish glint to them. They complimented his wavy brown hair and cleanly shaven face. Anyone in their right mind would be thrilled to have him, and that was only one reason the blonde questioned her sanity on a daily basis.

"I'm glad you could come out tonight," he said, perusing his menu.

"So am I," she replied curtly, indisputably out of obligation, eyes locked on her own menu.

"How was your day? You look exhausted. Was it rough?"

As always, Jesse could sense any disturbance in his happy ever after tale, but as always, Aubrey would not take the bait. Yes, the day had been a little more tense than usual after her introduction to Dr. Mitchell's smart-ass, rebellious daughter. Aubrey was torn between being intrigued by the girl and being completely outraged by her tactics. Not to say that the girl was not smart because she was. No one had ever answered one of her vague questions so intricately. No student had ever made so much sense or effort for that matter. Most would fabricate an answer, fully believing that there were no wrong answers in philosophy. Instead, the alt girl with those horrid ear monstrosities and the overdose of eyeliner had been very deep in answering her question. Still, she was a Posen, and Posens did not vent their disdain to anyone especially their significant, or insignificant depending on your vantage point, other.

"No, it was fine," she replied monotonously. "How were your classes?"

"They were good. Really well. I have some very talented kids this semester."

"That's good."

The waitress arrived, and Jesse ordered a bottle of wine for the table. Aubrey gave the woman her food order as well, and though Jesse hated to hurry their dates, he followed suit. He had long since forfeited the silent war that he had been thrown into. She rarely exuded emotions, and he had come to terms with that. Many would ask how he did it, but none would receive a sensible answer. Aubrey had been drilled to perfection by Thomas Posen since she was a toddler, and nothing about her was ever out of place. Spontaneous was not in her vocabulary, so no one really understood how she could teach a subject based purely on spontaneous, free thinking. Still, he loved her, but it may have been for the simple fact that she was that way. He wanted to be the one to change her, to give her a full makeover like in those movies he loved all too much. He wanted to unveil the beauty beneath, but he had yet to make any progress in three years. He couldn't blame her. She was a Philosophy professor at Georgia's most prestigious school at twenty-six years of age with her father continuously on her case. So he stayed regardless of the cost.

"So, have you thought about what I said?" he asked cautiously, sipping the wine now in his glass. "I mean, it's been another week, so I figured you took the time." She glanced at him slightly but said nothing, and he set his cup down. "Why are you putting this off, Bree?"

"I'm not putting it off," she insisted calmly.

"You're seriously not a bit, alarmed by this? We've been together for three years. It's logical to move in together at this point."

"That logic is man-made." Wow, she's even quoting the alt girl. "Society has this checklist they believe should be fulfilled in relationships, and I find it preposterous. I'm not ready."

"You're not ready to move in with me, or you're not ready for that commitment?"

Her sigh was audible now as she at last met his gaze, and now that the snake's head had risen, Jesse retracted slightly.

"Come on, Jesse. Why must you make everything bigger than it is? I'm not ready. I'm not there yet. I've been thirteen going on thirty for a long time, and I'm trying to fit into my own shoes. I'm sorry if you expected more, but I have more than enough current expectations to meet."

"I'm not trying to force you or anything."

"No, you are just constantly badgering me on the situation."

"I just want to see you more is all."

"We work with each other and go out four times a week. It would be the same."

"I would like to wake up to you every morning, cook you breakfast." His grin returned slightly at this. "Fall asleep with you in my arms each night. That would be nice. Besides it feels as if you avoid me while at work."

"I like to keep my business and pleasure separate."

"Then what's the problem with merging the entirety of your 'pleasure'."

Aubrey didn't respond to this, electing to sip her wine instead, and the remainder of dinner consisted of awkward silences and sporadic, idle conversation at some points. When Jesse suggested she stay over, she politely declined, giving him the excuse that she had papers to grade. It was labor day weekend. She had three days to get it finished, but he decided not to interrogate her and left her in the parking lot with a soft kiss and a promise to call the following day. She went home that night set on grading those papers, and as she reached her desk in her home office, she fulfilled that intention. However, as she went through each essay, she could not help but notice that there was not one from Beca Mitchell. College professors usually did not pay any mind to those that neglected their assignments, but Aubrey was very observant. She didn't notice that several other students' papers were missing as well however. What did that say about her? She shrugged it off and continued to grade, pondering the idea of pulling Beca aside. For Dr. Mitchell's sake of course.

The following Thursday was interestingly infuriating. Beca walked in fifteen minutes late, pressing one of Aubrey's many buttons. She bit back the urge to call her on it, knowing she would only be met with the usual snark. The small brunette proceeded to crawl under her skin with her patronizing answers and condescending responses. Though they were right on point, the delivery of each reply was what drove Aubrey mad. She left class that night overly irate, going over the experience with the girl many times in her head. She was over thinking it of course, but she could not stop herself. She ended up emptying her stomach halfway home on the side of the road. Loss of control was Aubrey Gabrielle Posen's kryptonite, the one tick that she could not handle. This caused more loss of control, leaving her flustered and nauseous. Something had to be done, and it had to be done quickly.

Dr. Mitchell was the first face to greet Aubrey the following morning, and thankfully, she was more annoyed by his tweed jacket horribly clashing against his yellow tie and not the inevitable conversation they were about to have. He smiled at her as she prepared her coffee in the lounge of the arts and humanities building where she had spoken with Doctor Ferris about his syllabus that he had requested her help on.

"Dr. Posen," Dr. Mitchell greeted her. "How are you today?"

"Rather well, Dr. Mitchell, thank you," she returned with a tentative smile.

"Did my daughter attend your class yesterday?"

Aubrey had to choke down bile when the question registered in her mind. "Yes."

He could read the disdain and cringed. "Was it as infuriating as I would guess?"

She turned to him now. "Dr. Mitchell, apart from her condescending attitude, your daughter is very intelligent. Her ability to give thorough and well thought out answers to my inquiries is rather intriguing, but the way in which she answers is what becomes alarming."

"Yes, I understand. She has always been that way. My apologies."

"Your daughter is in college now, Dr. I find it completely unnecessary for her father, professor here or not, to apologize for her behavior in our classrooms."

"Agreed. Still, I'll address the matter with her."

"If you wish. I will proceed to address it as well though. It is after all my issue."

* * *

Beca shuffled into her dorm room timidly after another round of battle with Dr. Posen. After her father had given her a benign lecture about the importance of wording and tone when speaking to her professors, the blonde had called her aside once again to discuss the same matter. Beca's only responses to either were shrugs or hums, and though neither professor expected much more ,they still found her nonchalance overly aggravating. Regardless of this, they knew that emitting such emotion would only summon her trademark smirk and a few sarcastic comments. She left both of them while perfectly concealing her own irritation.

"What up, Short Stack?" Amy greeted when she entered the room. "How were classes?"

"Do you have Dr. Posen this semester?" Beca grunted.

"Oh, the child prodigy or whatever? No, next semester. You know, I was a prodigy back in Tasmania. They were sure I'd go down in history for how many dingoes and crocodiles I could wrestle simultaneously."

Beca snorted a laugh. "That does sound pretty impressive."

"Yeah, but then my trainer asked me to elope with him. I felt like I could, but then again, sometimes I feeI like I could do crystal meth and then I think nah, better not so...you know."

Beca bit back another laugh. "Yeah, totally. Okay, I'll see you later tonight."

"Where you off to now, Short Stack?" Amy looked quite dejected that she was leaving once more so soon.

"I have a shift at the station, but I get off at eight. I'll see if CR wants to go have dinner with us."

"You had me at dinner."

Beca chuckled. "Of course I did. See ya."

"See ya!"

Beca entered the station to find that Cynthia Rose was already there stacking CDs. She sighed, definitely nowhere in the general vicinity of enthusiasm about her shift, and Cynthia mirrored her expression. Still, Beca was confident they would find ways to entertain themselves. They always did, and they pulled each other through each grueling shift.

"Yo, B," the girl greeted her, bumping her fist.

"Hey," Beca replied, picking up a stack of vinyl records and scanning through them. "Where's Luke?"

"In there with some floozie. Where else?"

"Seriously? Same one as yesterday?"

"Nope."

"Day before?"

"Nope."

"Last week?"

"Nope."

"Wow, how many women are enrolled here?"

"Well, the enrollment's seventy-five percent women, but I couldn't give you the exact number."

"That says it all. The fact that you know that says a lot too." She chortled as CR bumped their shoulders together. "So...how's Stacie?"

"Well."

She didn't offer more of an answer than that, causing the DJ to glance over at her companion. A large grin formed on Cynthia Rose's face now, and Beca quirked an eyebrow. She still didn't answer right away, but soon, realization donned on Beca, and her grin widened to match her friend's. This had been a discussion that had started a couple of weeks ago, Beca offering motivational words on the matter while Cynthia Rose cowered behind many excuses, but that grin told the tale. She jabbed her elbow into CR's side repetitively. Beca had never been one to dig for information or gossip or anything of the sort, but she felt obligated to demand it from her "bro" Cynthia Rose. It seemed to be what their friendship was based on, their love lives with the women of the world, or in Beca's case, lack thereof. Beca had not yet contributed, but she was glad that Cynthia Rose had made a move. Now, she would have better self-control not to make a move herself.

"Come on," Beca chimed. "Spill it."

Cynthia's face now practically split in two. "I asked her out. On a date."

The DJ's face matched hers soon enough. "And?"

Her face fell instantly. "Do I look rejected right now?"

Beca giggled. "No, but I wanna hear you savor it."

"Well this is our first bro moment, right?"

"Right."

"She said yes, so we're going out tonight."

"Look at you." They chortled. "Congratulations. I am happy for you."

"Thanks." There was a moment's pause as they 'savored their first bro moment'. "So what's up with you and Chloe?"

Beca's eyes bulged as she snapped her head towards her friend. "What?"

"Chloe? What's going on there?"

"Nothing's going on. She's dating that SBT tool."

"So? She digs you, B."

"Yeah, she's gorgeous, but I mean, she's a good friend. I just-I don't know. I guess that I-I like my women to be a challenge in a sense."

"She has a boyfriend. How much more of a challenge do you want?"

"I could probably bed Chloe if I really wanted to-ugh, that sounded so arrogant. What I mean is that I'm sure that Chloe and I would rip each other apart if we had the chance, but-she's a good friend, you know, and I wouldn't use her just for that. She's-so happy all of the time though, you know. Like, it doesn't take much to make her smile and stuff."

"Yeah, she is pretty cool."

"Yeah, but you know. I keep my options open, go with the flow. If she came-a-calling, who am I to deny?"

CR cackled. "What R. Kelly joint you rip that from?"

"Actually, that was a freestyle, homie. What!" They clutched their sides in laughter now before calming down. "So, where are you taking Stacie tonight? Somewhere fancy? Somewhere elegant? Somewhere-"

"Diamonds."

Beca nearly choked on saliva as she gave Cynthia Rose a bewildered look. "The-strip club?"

They stared one another in the eye for a moment before CR burst into laughter. "Ah! You're too easy, B. I'm totally fuckin' with you, but I'm surprised you know that place."

"Shut up!" Beca smacked her arm. "Seriously! Jesus!"

"Nah, but we're going to this Italian spot in the city that I know of."

"Well, hey. Good luck."

"Yeah, but maybe you can kick it with Chloe."

"I'll probably invite her out. Amy and I were gonna meet up for dinner."

"Huh? B, are you trying to get out some in-home nookie?"

"What?" CR only raised an eyebrow. "Oh my God, no! Amy? No, she-we're friends, but, no. Besides, she has like a million boyfriends."

"I'm just asking. It isn't such a bad idea."

"Not all of our roommates look like a Victoria's Secret model though."

"Amy's kind of cute."

"Yeah, she is, but-not my type."

"Chloe isn't your type. Amy isn't your type. What the hell do you like? You like 'em angry?"

Beca only shrugged and continued stacking CDs as Cynthia Rose chuckled at the thought. They continued their talk on the various girls they had come in contact with during the semester so far, and you would swear it was two guys speaking in the depths of WUBJ. Luke would at times join in their conversations with his many escapades, and he admitted that he found it more comfortable talking to them about girls than talking to most of his male friends. Beca had decided long ago to take every cryptic statement from Luke as a compliment, so this was no different. She did find it nice. Her and Benji had always discussed girls since she came out to him at the age of twelve, but he wasn't all that into the dating scene and whatnot, so having a bro like Cynthia Rose was refreshing. However, she only hoped that dating Stacie wouldn't change that. Beca wasn't one to voice such insecure and self-confident concerns, and it sounded sillier each time she pondered it, so she kept that to herself.

As Beca left the station after wishing CR luck, she texted Amy to meet her at the diner and called Chloe.

"Hey, Red," she greeted when the taller girl answered.

"Hey, B," she returned. "What's up?"

"Are you busy?"

"No, not really."

"Well, I figured that since your bestie is out on a date, you would want to come get dinner with Amy and I and not feel left out."

"Oh, you are the sweetest! Tom ditched me tonight too, so you're a savior."

"Yeah, knight and shining armor and all that. So you wanna meet us at the diner right now?"

"Yeah, I'll see you in ten."

"Okay, see you then."

When Beca was approaching the diner, she saw Amy standing near the door, doubled over and panting heavily. She gave her a curious look and stopped before her.

"Were you-running?" she asked. "Why were you running?"

"The food-it calls to me," the blonde breathed. "I should have taken your cardio tip more seriously."

"How much have you done?"

"I do a lot."

"_Not_ counting your horizontal running before bed."

"Oh, well then, you just missed it."

Beca smirked. "Come on, Weezy. Let's get you a milkshake."

"You have such a way with words, pipsqueak."

"So I've heard. Chloe's coming by the way."

"What happened to Cynthia Rose?"

"She has a date."

"A what!" Amy's eyes widened as they settled into their booth. "With who? Wait! I know where this is going." She grew serious now. "Lesbihonest."

Beca snorted. "She's out with Stacie."

"Whoop, there it is!"

"Leave it up to you to make it a big deal."

"Hey, no disrespect, Short Stack. I had my own lesbian phase too. You guys are just cool enough to hold onto it. I should be jealous."

Beca was of course in hysterics once more. "You're-killing-me."

"Not my intention. Hey, what's up with you and the gingah anyway?"

Beca immediately sobered. "Why does everyone keep asking that? She has a boyfriend."

"I didn't ask if she had a boyfriend. Besides, that doesn't stop her from looking at ya like you have gold in your britches."

Beca made a sour face at the comparison. "Gross."

Amy suggestively wiggled her eyebrows. "Isn't college all about experiments or something like that? What's so fun about keeping a pet goldfish with a lake full of sharks?"

"Where do you come up with this stuff?"

"All's I'm saying is that you should keep her around, Short Stack."

Before Beca could reply, the girl in question came prancing into the diner. She greeted them in her usual shrill salutation and slid in beside Beca. The waitress materialized the moment her bottom hit the seat, and Beca only then realized they had yet to be served. The trio ordered their drinks then the waitress left them once more.

"How were the rest of your classes today, Becs?" Chloe then asked smugly. "Did you actually make them all?"

"Yes, Chloe, yes, I did," Beca retorted. "They were-class. I won't even try to give you some sarcastically brilliant answer. I might make myself sick."

Chloe giggled. "What classes did you have today, Amy?"

"English," Amy replied as she scanned the menu. "And, um, political science. It's so boring, but Dr. Kenmore is very delectable."

"At least you don't have-" Beca began, but Chloe cut her off.

"Don't start, Beca," she snapped.

"What? I didn't-"

"All you ever talk about is Dr. P. Did you really let her get under your skin that much?"

"She's a nuisance."

"And you're not? Just stop. Anyway, what classes did you have today? _Aside_ from Philosophy."

"I had a lecture with Dr. Hayward today. Recitation with you. And...Chemistry. This really doesn't feel like college. I thought it was less suffocating than high school."

"This is Barden, sweetie. They're academics are rigorous, classes are small for more 'intimate' learning, and they are rugged with their material. It's one of the top schools in the nation for a reason."

"Hence, the child genius."

"Here we go!"

Chloe threw up her hands in exasperation, nearly knocking over the drinks that the waitress now held on a tray beside their table. Beca laughed as Chloe smiled sheepishly at the woman, who assured her it was no big deal. Amy immediately began slurping her milkshake, and Beca followed, only breaking to give their food orders. Chloe smirked at them and took a sip of her iced tea. They continued to speak about school, sans the topic of Dr. Posen thanks to Chloe's regulation, and then they broke into music once their food arrived.

"Amy can mermaid dance!" Beca informed Chloe like a proud mother. "It's awesome."

"What's mermaid dancing?" Chloe asked carefully.

"I'll have to show you," Amy sighed, and Chloe assumed she meant later on when they weren't in public, but no. Amy stood, and Chloe's eyes bulged.

"Oh, no, Amy! You don't-"

"Watch and learn, Gingah." The Aussie plopped down on the floor, moving her legs, which were outstretched beside her, and shoulders somehow like a mermaid. "It's a lot of floor work."

"I see that."

Amy slid back into her seat. "I sing too. I'm also skilled in modern dance, old-ern dance and pirate dancing."

"What's-never mind. I'll ask later."

"Good thinking," Beca mumbled around a mouthful of burger.

"Do you sing, Becs?" the redhead now turned on Beca. "I mean, I know you mix and stuff, but do you sing?"

"Nope," the brunette immediately replied. "I don't sing."

"Okay, jeez. Retract the claws."

"What did I say?"

"You snapped."

"Aww, did I hurt your feelings?"

"Shut up."

"You too just need to devour each other already," Amy muttered.

The night went on in similar fashion with the three of them and their endless ribbing, and they left the diner hours later, full and tired. Beca climbed into bed immediately once she and Amy reached their dorm, Amy's snoring quickly filling the room. All in all, Beca was content spending time with the girls, and to her surprise, it didn't scare her at all getting close to them. She was even excited to prod CR about her date the following afternoon at the station. Yeah, friends weren't so bad.

Beca's morning run ended up in the fitness center where she worked out her arms and legs. She still had a lot of excess energy after her squat repetitions, so she jumped on one of the treadmills to jog it off. She was surprised to find that there weren't many people in the gym on Friday morning, but she figured it was due to the fact that the football and soccer teams had their own facilities. She shook it off, running at a steady pace with music blasting through her earphones. She watched the time which would indicate when she had reached her goal, her breathing leveled as she watched her feet pad against the rubber belt beneath them. When the timer went off, the machine slowed. She kept pace with it until it came to a complete stop then she proceeded to wipe it down before picking up her water bottle. She whirled around to walk off and nearly bumped into the person that had just stepped off of the treadmill behind her. When she looked up, she meet deep green eyes, and her breath hitched momentarily. For some reason, those eyes had been haunting her, but she debunked it as a side effect of only seeing them the day prior.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Miss Mitchell," Dr. Posen curtly greeted her.

"Dr. P."

"I never took you for the-active type."

"You haven't seen me naked then."

Beca was unfazed by her own overboard comment, but she watched as the blonde's eyes widened slightly, and that familiar tinge of green appeared in her flushed cheeks.

"Sorry, inappropriate," the brunette immediately added.

"I know I shouldn't expect much less."

"I-I'm surprised to see you here as well if it's any consolation."

"Exercise is a good form of stress relief." Immediately, she was aware she had said to much.

"Oh, are you-"

"Have a good day, Miss Mitchell."

She stepped around the brunette quickly and took to the treadmill once more. Beca stood frozen for a few moments before it came to her attention that she was once again buzzing with energy as if she had just been stabbed with an adrenaline needle. She huffed, deciding to do a few more reps on her biceps. When she finished with that, she headed to the showers, noticing she wouldn't have enough time to go shower in her dorm building. She luckily always brought an extra set of clothes for such occasions. She did not notice her philosophy professor heading in the same direction, and the blonde was in a daze, so it was unknown to her as well. Beca set herself up in a stall and disrobed before stepping under the warm spray. The showers had seemed rather empty when she entered, so she began singing softly. She had been listening to "Titanium" by David Guetta, so these were the lyrics now floating from her. Her volume ascended slowly. She of course was not aware of the blonde two stalls down, who was now listening intently. Her voice was so soft and billowy yet strong, intense. It was a beautiful alto, and Aubrey was frozen beneath the water as she craned her neck to get a better listen. Beca grabbed her shampoo bottle as she began the chorus, but before she could squeeze the liquid into her hand, a bubbly voice broke through her concentration and nearly scared her out of her skin.

"You _can_ sing!" it accused, and Beca whipped around, nearly slipping and falling.

"Dude!" she cried out, covering herself to the best of her ability. "Wh-Chloe?"

There stood the redhead in all of her glory, wet and nude, bouncing on the balls of her feet like an enthused child. Beca's eyes nearly jumped out of her skull. She squeezed her legs together, turning slightly to her side to better conceal her goods. Chloe did not seem phased at all, hands on her hips with a wide grin. Beca was doing everything in her power not to glance down, but she would make no promises.

"I knew you could sing. You lied to me, Mitchell!"

"Chloe, what the hell are you doing in here? What-I didn't see you in the gym."

Now, Chloe ducked her head in shame. "I, uh, was-meeting up with-Tom," she whispered.

"In the shower!" Beca hissed, looking at her in disbelief before chuckling lightly. "Chloe Beale."

"Shut up! I didn't mean to find you. Back to the point though! You can sing!"

"I'm aware, and I never said I can't. I said I _don't_."

"You just were."

"Right, really mature. So every time you hear someone sing, you jump in their shower?"

"Nope, just you." She gave Beca a creepy grin now.

"Chlo, stop, you're scaring me."

"Oh, hush. Like you don't want a taste of all this."

Aubrey knew she should not be listening. She should just return to her shower, and that would be the end of that. However, her muscled were taut, and her fists were clenched. She could not move as the bubbly redhead's voice rang shrilly through the room.

Over in the other stall, Chloe gestured to her body, and Beca was glad she had made no promises because her eyes followed Chloe's hands at the slowest pace possible. The DJ then gulped audibly.

"I plead the fifth due to the male presence in the room."

"Oh, no, I sent him off."

"Don't tempt me."

"What if I want to?"

"Jesus, Chloe, I'm trying to shower."

"Yeah, I should-get going. Class at eight and all." Chloe stepped forward swiftly, smacking a loud kiss on Beca's cheek. "See you later! This isn't over."

"What isn't..."

And she skipped out of the shower back to her own stall without an answer, leaving a shocked brunette and a furious blonde in her wake. Wait...What?


	3. Catch 22

**_A/N: So like I said, I'm keeping the options open, but to my guest lux I completely agree. There are really no good Mitchsen stories that arent triple treble. Only a few, and I think I owe Aubrey this one. But we'll see where it goes. Im just saying, Bechloe, you dont get your hopes up but who knows. my mood changes every day so we'll see. anyway, thank you to everyone for the reviews. I appreciate it. Aside from that, same thing as before. after 10 reviews, ill update again. Thank you!_**

* * *

_All I knew this morning when I woke_

_Is I know something now, know something now I didn't before._

_And all I've seen since eighteen hours ago_

_Is green eyes and freckles in your smile_

_In the back of my mind making me feel right_

_I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now_

_I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now_

_'Cause all I know is we said, "Hello."_

_And your eyes look like coming home_

_All I know is a simple name_

_Everything has changed_

_All I know is you held the door_

_You'll be mine and I'll be yours_

_All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

* * *

"So it went well then?"

"Hell yeah, it did!"

"Nice."

"I know, right? I was worried for a bit there."

"Well, did you ever wonder what you would do if it went badly? I mean, you share a dorm. That would be awkward, right?"

"Jeez, I never thought about it. Wow, I guess we would've had to swap roommates."

"Yeah, you can give me Stacie." CR looked over at Beca, who froze then smiled innocently. "Well I mean, if need be, you could." CR looked unimpressed. "Kidding, C. Totally kidding. I'd definitely pick you as my roommate."

"Luckily, we're bros."

"Yeah, you _are_ lucky." CR threw her shoulder into the smaller girl, and she flew into the desk with a giggle. "Really though. Did you...you know?"

"No, not on the first date, which is good because I heard from her friends that she had a track record in high school, so I think that's a good sign that I got no sex and a second date."

"Yeah, sounds serious."

"Hoping so."

"I think you're good for each other."

"Thanks, B. Now we just gotta get you some lady lovin'."

"Yeah, let's hold off on that."

"I'm your bro. It's my job."

"No, really. I'm fine. Just as long as Stacie doesn't come between the brotherhood."

"Never that."

"Then I approve."

Beca was genuinely happy that Cynthia Rose had been able to succeed in taking Stacie out. When she had seen Stacie earlier that day, the taller did appear a lot brighter and happier. Beca had taken it as a good sign, and the grin that Cynthia Rose greeted her with when she walked into the radio station confirmed her theory. Seeing her friend happy was worth a lot to her, and though it was a bit scary initially, she found that she actually enjoyed the feeling of being happy for someone other than herself. Yeah, Barden was not so bad. Well, it wasn't so bad until Thursdays of course.

* * *

Beca had a paper to write for none other than Dr. Posen, and Chloe and Benji were meeting her for dinner before they worked on it together. She dropped her laptop bag onto her bed before grabbing her study materials, stuffing them into the bag. She had not missed a philosophy class in five weeks, and she had no idea how. Perhaps it was the sheer enjoyment she received from getting the blonde flustered and tongue-tied. It was rather filling to the brunette though she wasn't sure why. However, she refused to dwell on it. It wasn't her methodology. She went with the flow and let things run their course.

Beca arrived at the diner and found her friends at a back booth. Chloe stood beside the table, kissing Tom goodbye before he walked away. He gave Beca a friendly smile, and she returned it half-heartedly before sliding in beside Chloe. In the scarce amount of time that she had spent around Chloe and Tom, she discovered that he wasn't the worst person for Chloe, but she could not indefinitely declare that he was the best either. He was a typical frat boy, and he at times had his moments where he seemed genuinely infatuated by Chloe. In other instances, one which Beca had witnessed by complete accident, he came off as the arrogant douchebag that Beca had originally pegged him for. Beca had been going over to the redhead's dorm to ask her for explanation on their statistics notes when she saw Tom standing outside of the dorm building with what looked like a despondent Chloe. Beca knew that he had promised her weeks prior that he would attend a concert with her that night. Now, he was attempting to justify his decision to go out with his frat brothers for a night of what Beca assumed would be binge drinking and strip clubs. Chloe defiantly held her ground, but in the end, Tom had dismissed her debate and left anyway. In a sense, Beca was sure that Chloe could do better, but that was not her place. Therefore, she refused to step into it.

"I ordered you a burger," the redhead informed her, sliding her plate to her.

"Thanks," Beca huffed. "You're gonna make a great wife someday."

"Is that your proposal?"

"That's me offering you a plan B if-no, _when_ Tom ever slips up."

"I'll file that away for later." A moment's pause as Chloe looked at her. "You're sober, right?"

"As a judge."

Benji chuckled heartily. The two girls always went with this playful banter, and many wondered how they weren't an item at this point. However, they were content with their relationship. Beca had never had a close female friend, not one like Chloe or CR. The redhead still knew very little about the DJ aside from the fact that her father was a professor at Barden and her mother was a Georgia senator, but they made it work. At times, Chloe's overly bubbly and vibrant personality was overbearing in contrast to Beca's reserved and mysterious nature, but in the end, they evened each other out.

"Thursday comes around way too fast," Beca admitted, taking a sip of her soda.

"Oh, like you don't enjoy it," Chloe snapped, elbowing her side.

"What?!"

"Beca, you intentionally show up early just to irk the poor woman."

"Poor woman? Do we have the same teacher? She's a nightmare, Chlo."

"She was before you came in."

"I hope she regrets getting after me for it then."

"I can't tell if she's intrigued by you or wants to hire a hit man to kill you in your sleep," Benji quipped, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Well, that Kimmy Jin girl that sits in front of us always gives me this death glare," Beca shrugged. "I'm sure she would take the mission."

"Don't be surprised if she does," Chloe murmured before biting into a chicken strip.

"Oh, I won't be. I'll be waiting. Then I'll write her name in blood on the wall."

"I doubt she'll leave time for that."

"True."

"Back to the subject, however. You secretly like Dr. Posen."

Beca gagged before donning a sour expression. "Chloe, can you let me keep this down please?"

"Why? Then maybe you guys can spend your time puking together."

Beca swatted her arm. "You really think she pukes?"

"Well, my older brother had her class last year, and he said that she's known to projectile vomit when she's nervous."

"Ugh, seriously? I think that's an urban legend."

Chloe scoffed. "You're kidding, right? You said yourself that her face is always tinted green!"

"But I was-over-exaggerating."

Chloe suddenly gasped, a hand over her heart. "Beca Mitchell, are you-defending her?"

"What? No, I-I just mean, I don't-well, I-ugh, shut up, Beale."

Benji and Chloe smirked at her now, turning her own weapon against her as her cheeks flushed a deep scarlet. She ducked her head, attempting to hide the blush to no avail.

"Let's make a bet," Chloe now whispered conspiratorially to the two.

"What?" Beca cautiously questioned.

"Prove it wrong."

"What?"

"You said it's an urban legend. Prove it wrong then. Get her nervous."

"How do you expect me to do that?"

"You get pretty close every class. Just push her a little further out of her comfort zone. I mean, have you seen her? Her desk? She drives a Prius, Becs. She screams control freak. Take that from her, and I bet you see that nervous tick of hers. Unless, you're scared of getting puked on."

"I was a dodgeball champ, Beale."

"She was," Benji confirmed with a vigorous nod.

"Even if the legend was true, which it isn't, I could easily move out of the way."

"Okay, prove it."

"What's the wager?"

"Hmm, if you're right, I'll-write your Chem term paper. If you're wrong, you have to send her roses, signed _with_ your name, _during _class."

"Seriously? That's the best you can come up with?"

Chloe shrugged. "I'm not much of a gambler."

"Well, usually, gambling involves money, but since you're my friend, I won't do that. Hmmm, okay. It sounds like a deal to me."

"Now, how are you going to unnerve her?"

"I'll figure it out. Just you watch, Beale."

* * *

"Miss Mitchell, may I have a word?" Dr. Posen called as the class filed out, and Beca threw Chloe a wink before the redhead left the room with Benji, biting back a giggle.

"Yes, Dr. Posen, what can I do you for?" Beca sighed, approaching the woman.

Aubrey shifted slightly, obviously uncomfortable at the response. "I would like to believe that you finally turned in a paper, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. Nicely printed out on scented paper for your grading pleasure." Beca punctuated this with a wink.

"Miss Mitchell, what do you get from the snark you impose upon others?"

Beca stepped closer to her now, only about a foot between them. "What ever do you mean?"

Aubrey recoiled slightly, clearing her throat. "I just-I mean, you always have a retort of some sort that does benefit the class. However, the way in which you present the information is rather-unnecessary. I feel as if you are intentionally-trying to get a rise out of me."

Beca stepped closer once more. "Now, why would I want to do that, Dr. Posen?"

"I-well, attention possibly."

"Maybe I'm just-intrigued." Slightly closer.

"Intrigued by what?"

"By you."

Now their faces were only inches apart, Beca's fingers gently swinging and making contact with the blonde's. It was unintentional, and both women went rigid at the electric shock that reeled through them due to the contact. Beca could not believe it, but she tried to keep her composure and proceed with the objective. Regardless, she could also feel herself being drawn to the woman, and neither noticed that they were still drifting towards one another.

"Dr. Posen, I'm only trying to appease you," Beca husked out though her mind was muddled, and she could see the cogs in the older woman's head turning, emerald green a much darker shade now. "Is that so bad?"

Aubrey could feel it, the loss of self-control. Her lunch began churning in her stomach as her breath hitched. She could feel Beca's breath ghosting over her lips, but she had no idea why she refused to push the younger girl away. It wasn't that she couldn't. No, she definitely could, but she didn't feel the desire to do so. In actuality, she wanted her to close the gap between them, and...

Suddenly, Beca stepped back as Aubrey clapped a hand over her mouth. The blonde made a soft gagging sound before audibly gulping, and Beca was not sure what to make of it.

"I-don't feel well," the blonde managed. "I-dismissed. Excuse me."

Before Beca could respond at all, Aubrey had sprinted out of the room and down the corridor towards the bathroom. The brunette's eyes widened at what had just occurred. She couldn't help but notice the disappointment flooding her mind. She somehow felt bad for undoing the woman as well, but that guilt was replaced with irritation when she saw her two friends standing in the doorway, smug looks on their faces.

"Wow, Becs, that was really inconsiderate," Chloe drawled. "I think you owe her roses for that."

"Oh, shut up," Beca growled, scooping up her bag and trudging past them.

"Yeah, you definitely owe her roses for making her sick."

"This teasing wasn't part of the bet."

"Like you wouldn't be teasing us right now had you won."

"You guys don't even know if she puked."

"Seriously? That's your retort? She just hundred-meter dashed to bathroom."

"Maybe she-had a bloody nose or something."

"Let's go check then. You can-"

"No!"

"Becs, go check on her," Benji whined.

"Are you serious?"

"Come on. Just to make sure that the bet was valid."

Beca wasn't sure why she acquiesced, but with or without her friends' insistence, she felt oddly obligated to check on her professor. Chloe and Benji followed her down towards the bathrooms. When they arrived, she handed Chloe her bag, taking a deep breath before entering the facilities. She could hear the heaves as soon as she opened the door, and she cringed at the sound. It was more out of guilt than disgust. She waited patiently by the sink as those heaves died down. She then heard the toilet flush, and a door unlocked. She watched as Dr. Posen exited the stall and froze when she caught sight of the brunette.

"Uh, are you okay?" Beca asked awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot. "I just-I wasn't sure. I-"

Aubrey couldn't help but offer her a small smile now as she removed a bottle of mouthwash from her purse.

"Don't worry," the blonde said. "It's normal."

"Really? Is it-"

"A nervous tick, yes." Aubrey berated herself for disclosing this information.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"Make me nervous?" The blonde chuckled now before gargling a mouthful of the liquid and spitting it out. She then turned to Beca. "You're bright, Bec-Miss Mitchell."

"Beca's fine."

"Not for me."

"Why not?"

"You are my student."

"We're like the same age."

Another smile. "Beside the point. Let me just clue you in however. You intrigue me, but I would appreciate if you were more appropriate in my presence."

"I agree to try. I can't make any promises."

Aubrey couldn't understand why the smirk now dawned by the girl made her heart skip a beat. "I guess that will have to suffice for the time being."

"Certainly."

* * *

Beca was beginning to believe that some days of the week had been taken out of the calendar. Thursday seemed to come every other day in her mind, Philosophy class specifically. Here it was again. All week, Beca had been subject to endless taunting and periodic kissy faces from her friends. The brunette had been putting off making a call to the flower shop, and Chloe had incessantly goaded her to get it done. It was not that Beca was against sending Dr. Posen flowers. That statement would be contradictory. The real reason for her hesitance was vividly obvious to Beca, but she could not bring herself to accept it. The truth was that she was worried. She was scared of rejection. Rejection in what sense was beyond her, but that was the truth. She did not want Dr. Posen to act disparate around her or to treat her differently, to possibly retract from her. What the hell was wrong with her? Why did she care what the woman thought? It was a harmless bet that she had lost. She had to fulfill her debt. Still, the anxiety rushing through her stomach didn't care if it should or shouldn't be present. It remained.

Chloe nudged Benji when the door opened to reveal that hyperactively annoying blonde girl that handed out rape whistles to the freshmen. In hand, she held a large bouquet of red roses and a card. She smiled widely at a confused Dr. Posen before setting the flowers on her desk and handing her the card.

"They aren't from me," the girl assured her with a giggle before heading for the door once more.

"Uh, thank you?" Dr. Posen replied, eying the card in her hand.

Aubrey suspected that the flowers were from Jesse. Maybe it was compensation of guilt from the countless fights that he had doggedly sparked in the past week. They could not hold a conversation without his whining abruptly beginning. Each and every word she spoke was taken in a different sense by the man, decrypting it so that it became an insult to him and his character. The disbelief in her eyes was overshadowed by malice, but he had become increasingly bold over the week, not showing any signs of being intimidated whatsoever as he dove head first into each argument. Slowly, she was coming to conclusion that this would have to end, but if Jesse was apologizing, she may be able to just keep dragging along beside him. It would keep everyone happy. No, it would keep Thomas C. Posen happy.

Aubrey looked down at the small, light blue envelope in hand. It read "Dr. Posen: Room 345" in block lettering. She eyed it skeptically for a moment before she gingerly removed the card from its envelope, and what she found inside caused her breath to hitch. The handwriting was a bit messy for her tastes, but there was a small touch of elegance to it as if the writer was usually sloppy in their composition but had actually made an effort to write nicely on this particular card. It surely was not Jesse's handwriting. His writing was more superlative than the majority of women. Aubrey carefully read the words, and the lump in her throat expanded.

_"My sincerest apologies for making you nervous. -B"_

Aubrey slyly chanced a glance up towards the back of the room on instinct, and she met the steel blue gaze of one Beca Mitchell. Both quickly broke the eye contact, but it was no mystery. It had in fact been the alt girl that had sent her roses for something as simple as making her nervous. She wasn't entirely convinced that she deserved an apology from Jesse, but in a sense, it was not her that summoned the storm every chance she was given. She had made a decision, and Jesse was supposed to respect that not whine about it every night. Still, this Beca Mitchell had apologized for the simplest of things, and Jesse had never brought her...No, this can't be happening. She cannot be comparing her student to her boyfriend. Those were two different relationships. Wait, no, it wasn't even a relationship. She was her student. Aubrey felt the bile inching up her throat now, and she tried to choke it down silently.

She placed the card beneath the flowers and returned to her work. Then, in the silence of the room while the class was to be taking a quiz, she heard a soft voice wafting through the air. Her eyes snapped up, and she knew whose voice it was. She had heard it from a shower stall. She could not allow this girl to get under her skin this way, but as quizzes were completed, Beca gradually became louder. She would then do some sort of beatbox, causing Chloe to giggle and swat her arm. Why this contact between the two angered Aubrey was beyond her, but she needed to control this. She had to. It was the only thing she knew how to do. Regardless, she still longed to hear that sweet alto.

"Miss Mitchell," she barked, causing the brunette in question to jump slightly.

"Uh, yeah, Dr. Posen," came a squeaky reply.

"Do you have a song you would like to share with the class?"

"Uh, no-no, I don't."

"No, come on. You obviously would like us to hear at that volume. Come on up here."

Chloe stifled a giggle as Beca gave Dr. Posen a deer-in-headlights look. The blonde gave her an expectant one, cocking her head with bulging eyes as if to tell her to move it. When Aubrey did not relent minutes later and the rest of the class had resorted to shameless staring, Beca stood up with a huff as Benji snorted softly. If this was how the doctor wanted to play, so be it. Beca nonchalantly walked past the blonde, picking up Aubrey's cup full of pens and dumping the contents onto the desk. She could tell that this slight inconsistency in the blonde's order of things was enough to bring the her world crashing down. That's good. Let's see who gets nervous first. Before Aubrey could make an objection, or choke down enough bile to do so, Beca hopped up on the desk, scooting back and sitting cross-legged near the back edge. She then set the cup in front of her upside down after moving Aubrey's planner from its original position. The blonde was now biting down hard on the inside of her cheek. Beca took a few breaths before beginning to tap out a steady beat using her hands, the desk, and the cup. Chloe and Benji were standing now, looking in awe upon their tiny friend. Others were leaning forward in their desks to see as well, and Aubrey was stunned by the turn of events as the brunette began to sing.

_I've got my ticket for the long way 'round_

_Two bottle whiskey for the way_

_And I sure would like some sweet company_

_And I'm leaving tomorrow. What d'you say?_

_When I'm gone, when I'm gone_

_You're gonna miss me when I'm gone_

_You're gonna miss me by my hair_

_You're gonna miss me everywhere, oh_

_You're gonna miss me when I'm gone_

_I've got my ticket for the long way 'round_

_The one with the prettiest of views_

_It's got mountains, it's got rivers_

_It's got sights to give you shivers_

_But it sure would be prettier with you_

_When I'm gone, when I'm gone_

_You're gonna miss me when I'm gone_

_You're gonna miss me by my walk_

_You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh_

_You're gonna miss me when I'm gone_

Beca finished out her arrangement by slamming the cup onto the desk and looking up at a frozen Aubrey with a timid look. When the blonde could not utter a word, she stood, placing the pens back in the cup and the cup back on the desk. The need to place the cup in its precise location was eclipsed by the need to not move at all because if Aubrey moved, she would most certainly fall over from the dizzy spell she was currently feeling. The class clapped for the small brunette as she slid back into her desk, and when Aubrey at last recovered from her shock, she dismissed them. What she knew then was that something had to be done about Beca Mitchell.

* * *

"Maybe she can try another class," the blonde insisted.

"Aubrey, you yourself told us that she does extraordinarily well in your class," Dr. Kendrick reminded her. "What's the issue?"

"I can't control her."

"That shouldn't be too much of a problem, Aubrey. You are the epitome of control."

"That's the problem. When a student can throw _me _off, it must be serious."

"Look, Aubrey, we can't just switch her classes. Besides, Warren says that she thoroughly enjoys the class, so I doubt she would be willing to drop it. You are our brightest professor in the building. I know you can handle it."

"I just feel that-she hinders my ability to effectively deliver a lesson."

"How so? I know that she challenges you. Gabriel Schilling said so. She's been giving very intricate responses. That's what you need, right? Someone to challenge you, to help you find that passion again." Aubrey was sure there was passion being aroused but not the correct...wait, what? "You're fine. She's a bit sarcastic. I get that. I hear it from all of the teachers, and so does Warren, but that's who she is. You can whip her into shape though. She challenges you, you challenge her right back. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent."

After leaving the administration building, Aubrey headed home. She first dispelled all that was in her stomach before settling into Friday night's routine warm bubble bath. This would usually relax her, clear her mind entirely. However, her every thought was plagued with Beca Mitchell, and she couldn't understand why. This was alarming seeing as her life and career revolved around answering the question, "Why?". It was completely unsettling, and for once, none of the blonde's logic could comfort her. How could this alternative rebel come in one day and completely turn the blonde's world on its head effortlessly? She needed a release, an escape, so against her better judgement, she jumped out of the tub and seized her phone. She invited Jesse over. For the night. Yet, it didn't solve anything. If anything, it only intensified the rising anxiety in her system. After Jesse rolled off of her and threw an arm over her bare midsection, she closed her eyes to find a pair of stormy blue ones boring into them.

* * *

Aubrey smoothed out her blazer for the umpteenth time in the past seven minutes. She patted her hair, checking for any loose strands. She sat straight in her chair, legs crossed comfortably as she rested her clasped hands on her knee. Before she could once again smooth out her hair which was pulled back in a tight bun, a tall man appeared before her. He had salt and pepper hair, a clean-cut goatee and sharp, hazel eyes. His tailored suit was pressed to perfection, a sharp grey with a red tie over a white button-up. His cufflinks shone in the light as he sat down.

"Aubrey," he greeted in a business-like tone.

"Daddy," she replied with a firm nod.

"How are you?"

"I'm well. How about you?"

"I'm doing fine. How are your classes going along?"

"Very well. Another group of young minds to mold."

"Of course." He eyed her now. "Maybe we can at least see that instructor of the year award."

"Not many children take philosophy, Daddy, and Dr. Reddick is an amazing English teacher."

"Why did you choose to teach a subject you cannot excel in then?"

"I love it."

"Success should be what you fall in love with. I expect more from you."

"Yes, father."

"You need to step it up. The Post would like to approach you with another chance at a published work in their upcoming journal."

"Well, with school and the close of semester coming up quickly, Daddy, I-"

"You will make time, Aubrey."

"Yes, sir."

The man called for a waiter with a snap of his finger, ordering both of them a water with lemon. Aubrey had hated the beverage since she was twelve, right around the time he began having her drink it every time that they went out. She had not had a soda in her father's presence since she was seven, and it wasn't about to change now.

"How's Mother?" she asked in an acute tone.

"She's well. She's currently visiting that friend of hers in Miami. How is Dr. Swanson?"

"Jesse is-he's fine."

"Why do you stammer then? I would appreciate an honest answer."

"He's fine, Daddy. We have had a few disagreements, but we're working it out."

"What about?"

It took all of Aubrey's strength not to convey her irritation. "He asked me to move in with him."

"What is the issue?"

"I am not ready to take that step."

"Aubrey, I do believe it is time that you start thinking about marriage and children. Time is never promised, and he is a fine man for you. You're lucky he chose you."

"I just-"

"You cannot continue to run from the commitment. Posens do not run because Posens fear nothing. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Daddy."

It never failed. After each visit with her father, which always felt like a business meeting, she would explode and empty everything currently in her stomach. If there was nothing, it was rancid acid and bile that singed her esophagus. She had resorted to eating nothing more than salad when they met up, but it did not make puking anymore enjoyable. Sure, he was on campus as well, but she did a marvelous job of avoiding him ninety-nine percent of the time. He was on a completely different block, and she would occasionally ponder the idea that she chose Philosophy because it was in the furthest building from the law wing. She would not like to believe it had come to that though. She definitely did not base a choice so critical on her father. Right?

This is what Aubrey chose to believe. In the face of constant scrutiny, her life under her father' metaphorical microscope, she only wondered who she was. She was Thomas Clifford Posen's only hope at carrying on a legacy. She didn't know who else she could be or could have been. Had she taken a different path, had she been given any say in her future, would it have turned out this way? The greatest fear that Aubrey could face was the negative answer to that question. Posens did not daydream however. Posens went out and made things happen. Still, it was impossible not to ponder at infrequent intervals what could have been. The worst thing to live with was regret, to wake up one day as your life slowly comes to close and be able to ask yourself "What If?" That would mean that the situation was critical enough to stay on your mind all of your life, and Aubrey never wanted to face that day. However, it seemed inevitable.


	4. That, My Friend, Is a Challenge

**_A/N: So thank you to everyone for your ongoing support. All of the reviews have been amazing, and I love you guys. I am trying to make this not so anxious so I hope Im doing a good job. There's interaction in this chapter and Aubrey finally gets some well needed insight so here we go! Same thing. 10 reviews and go! You guys are awesome! thank you!_**

* * *

_The space between what's wrong and right, _

_You will find me waiting for you._

_All your fortresses go down in the night. _

_To the dawn I'll see you through._

_If the answers aren't so easy to find, _

_The questions will have to do._

_'Cause I've lost myself deep in your eyes, _

_My only fix is you._

_Say what I am,_

_What we are,_

_It's a start towards the truth._

_Taking my breath,_

_With each delicate step _

_In my heart it's you._

_Cause I know, that you know, _

_You're all over me now._

_And it's clear, you will show, _

_And your curtains will close._

_But if your heart is cold, _

_My sheets are warm. _

_I will shelter you, _

_Through the storm._

_I will shelter you, _

_All through the storm._

* * *

It was a beautiful Thursday morning, the Georgia weather cooling significantly as it slowly neared November. As she walked into the English building where she was due to aide Dr. Hayward in some questions about the works he was currently utilizing, she found Dr. Mitchell in an intense stare down with his daughter in the doorway of his office. She halted outside of the break room, unable to continue down the hall.

In the past weeks, Beca had been more considerate of the blonde, her attitude being pulled down a few notches while she displayed an air of compassion when she asked how Aubrey's day was before class or simply asked if she was okay after. It was both unnerving and relaxing. Aubrey had become acclimatized to the constant snark and sarcasm injected into each session, but behind those deep blue orbs, she found that there was something missing that had definitely been there before as well something new that had not been. It was difficult to decipher this thought, but Aubrey had been trying relentlessly because that was her thing. She couldn't just _not _understand something. Now, as she silently witnessed the trade, she wondered if Dr. Mitchell had anything to do with what was missing.

"I'm not going to spend Thanksgiving with you and the step monsters," Beca growled.

"Stop calling her that!" the man snapped just above a whisper. "What are you going to do then, Beca? It isn't like your mother will realize what holiday it is. She never did."

"Is that your excuse for walking out on us now? Last time I checked, my mother's decisions were not mine, and I didn't deserve to be left like a fucking orphan."

"You watch your language. Now, you'll be-"

"I'm going with Chloe for Thanksgiving. I'd go with Benji, but they're headed to Oregon to visit his sister, so Chloe invited me."

"Who is Chloe?"

"My friend, Dad. I do have friends."

He scoffed. "Hardly. Now you're inflicting your presence on others when-"

"Like you're inflicting your new family's presence on me? You have another daughter and another wife, and I'm nothing but a remnant of your past. Don't act like I haven't been since the day that you walked out without even saying goodbye."

"You'll always be bitter, and you're going to end up alone just like your mother."

"Best news I've heard all day."

With that, Beca turned on her heel and stomped off down the corridor. Warren ran a hand through his hair furiously, and Aubrey quickly ducked into the lounge so as to not be caught eavesdropping. She felt a pang in her chest of both anger and sorrow, and it all sounded so familiar. Her father had not walked out on her. Quite the contrary, but he constantly burrowed into the most personal aspects of her life and forced his opinions down her throat. She had never found Warren Mitchell to be anything but cheery and nice, but seeing him talk to his daughter in such a way irked her to no end. Maybe she could somewhat understand why Beca was so rebellious, so unhinged. Aubrey's own father had created her in the image of wound up perfection, and he had been the first to make her vomit in anxiety with his constant badgering and overbearing presence. She wondered what was beneath that rugged exterior of Beca Mitchell, the fortress she had created with defense mechanisms such as snark and insults to protect herself from people like her father that would lead her to believe they loved her only to tear her down in the end. She did seem mighty close to Mr. Applebaum and Ms. Beale, but it were as if she continually kept them at arms' length. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea to be a little more understanding towards the brunette because based on what she had just heard, they weren't all that different. They had only handled their daddy issues in different ways.

Beca was uncharacteristically quiet in Aubrey's class that day, and it disconcerted Aubrey more than she would like to admit. Chloe consistently asked her if she was okay, but the brunette only shrugged her off each time. Dr. Posen attempted to avoid the constant churning in her stomach, the constricting of her chest. When she dismissed the students, she could not help herself.

"Miss Mitchell," she called. "A word please."

"This is getting ridiculous," Beca grunted as Chloe hugged her.

"I'll see you tonight," the redhead assured her, kissing her cheek.

"See you, B," Benji said with a grimace, patting her shoulder.

Beca shouldered her bag slowly before approaching the familiar desk at the front of the room. She stood before the tall blonde, her face indifferent as Aubrey successful concealed the irritation at Chloe's public display of affection only moments ago. Now that she stood there, Aubrey wasn't sure how to proceed, so she improvised.

"I couldn't help but notice the lack of sarcastic interaction today," the blonde noted aloud.

Beca scoffed. "I wasn't aware that my sarcasm is in the syllabus."

"Well, I just-became accustomed."

"I get in trouble for doing it. I get in trouble for not doing it. I can't win with you people."

"No, you aren't in trouble. I-I just wanted to know if you were okay, Beca."

The brunette froze. She had adapted to Chloe asking constantly if she was okay, but she never expected it from her proclaimed arch rival, the uptight Dr. Posen that didn't seem to have compassion or happiness programmed into her robotic presets. The DJ's grip tightened around the strap of her bag as she averted her gaze. The idea of conveying how the inquiry made her heart swell was severely unwelcome. Aubrey waited patiently. With much hesitation, she reached out and cupped Beca's shoulder. The younger woman jumped at the contact but soon relaxed. She felt it again. That shock of electricity coursing through her body. Aubrey must have felt it to because her muscles contracted, tightening her grip on the brunette's shoulder. She quickly pulled away, and both suddenly found their shoes very interesting.

"Uh, thanks, Dr. Posen," Beca choked out. "I-I'm fine."

"We can talk. I'm sure I could understand."

Beca felt the need to, but that was not Beca's way of doing things. "No, I'm fine. Really."

"Well, the offer stands."

"Thanks."

Aubrey paused a beat. "Uh, well, thank you. For the roses."

Beca's eyes shot up now, cheeks flushing red. "Well, I-uh, I-I felt obligated to. I mean, no. It wasn't-not like I didn't want to-I mean...ugh. You're welcome."

Aubrey could not restrain the giggle that escaped her lips at the turning of tables, now seeing the brunette flustered rather than herself. Beca's ears perked up, and she could not help but think that it was the sweetest sound she had ever heard. A smile subconsciously found its way to her lips. She was closer to the professor now though neither noticed, and Beca chanced a glance at the blonde's lips momentarily before her eyes shot back up. Aubrey's nerves were on end now.

"You should laugh more often," Beca blurted out softly, unable to control herself.

Aubrey deliberately searched the brunette's bright eyes for any deception. "Why is that?"

"It's a nice sound. Much nicer than the whole pre-programmed monotone thing."

Aubrey looked rueful now. "Uh, right. Well, I'm-I'm your professor."

"But you're human."

"Tell my-"

She immediately snapped her mouth shut, and the bile shot up. She clapped a hand over her mouth, sure that this conversation was over. This entire encounter had come to an end. No, Beca disappeared from before her, but seconds later, she felt a small hand rubbing comforting circles on her back. Another wrapped loosely around her bicep. Instantly, she had gained her composure, and the nausea was gone. The moment this was evident, she stepped away from Beca, smoothing out her jacket.

"Thank you," she coughed, eyes downcast.

"Like I said, you're human. I understand that sharing your struggles with your student, and me of all of them, isn't an ideal thing, but-you should-let it out."

"You should take your own advice."

"Maybe I will. One day."

"Me too."

Beca and Benji were immersed in killing zombies when Chloe and Stacie entered the DJ's dorm room unannounced and without a proper knock. Amy was off galavanting with one of her "many boyfriends", or so she told her roommate, so Beca had invited Benji over to open their weekend with a bang. It had been a crazy day for the smaller brunette. Her mother had finally been notified that she had gone to Barden, and though the woman didn't call or anything, she had sent her a car as a gift, compensation for guilt Beca supposed. It was nice, a sleek back Lincoln MKZ with all of the bells and whistles and an amazing sound system installed. She had received her license a year ago but had never been one to ask her mother, though well off, for anything. Still, Beca had only taken the keys from the man that delivered it and waved him off. She figured it was the least her mother could do for being absent all of the time and never bothering to call. Beca even had to make an appointment to call her, so she had ceased trying long ago.

The two other girls made themselves at home, setting bottles of vodka and a case of beer on the desk. Beca and Benji didn't even look in their direction, eyes locked on the images before them as gunshots and high-pitched shrieks filled the room.

"Come on, Boys," Stacie urged when they were done setting up. "Party time."

"Last time I checked, this was my room," Beca shot back, eyes still trained on the screen.

Stacie nonchalantly bent over before them, stilling them with a view of her rear end as she shut off the game console and TV. Benji and Beca looked at one another before shrugging and tossing the controllers on Beca's bed, moving over to the desk.

"What have we got here?" Beca inquired, looking over the alcohol selection thoughtfully.

"The bare necessities," Stacie returned, pouring a shot for the four of them and passing them out. "Here's to a good night."

"A good night," the others repeated before clinking their glasses together and downing their shots.

"Where's Amy?" Chloe asked, looking around the dorm.

"A date or something," Beca replied, smacking her lips before picking up a beer. "Where's CR?"

"Still at the station," Stacie huffed, irritation evident. "Luke made her fix something he messed up, but she'll be here afterwards."

"You guys doing well then?"

"Yup, she's really sweet."

"That's good. Hurt my bro though, Stacie, and we'll have issues."

Stacie smirked. "I'll just sick the ginger on you."

"Please."

"Really, Beca?" Chloe challenged now, cocking an eyebrow.

"That's like being attacked by a fuzzy bunny or a care bear."

"Try me." The glint in her eye caused Beca to falter.

"I'll pass."

Chloe smirked as she made drinks for her and Stacie. Beca downed her beer before cracking open another one, sitting comfortably on her bed against the wall beside Benji.

"So," Stacie chirped. "What's going on with you and Dr. Uptight, B?"

Beca rolled her eyes. "Nothing is going on with Dr. Uptight, S," she returned.

"I hear otherwise. Red roses, I believe?"

The shorter brunette scoffed as Benji and Chloe snickered. "It was just a bet."

"I heard that you made her head spin with your-_stunning_ charm."

"That's a normal occurrence. Don't let her seem too special."

"Oh, please," Chloe derided. "You were in there a long time today."

"Oh, so you timed it? Are you jealous, Red?"

"Don't flatter yourself, _Brown._"

Beca shrugged, taking a chug of her beer.

"Be honest, B," Stacie went on. "It's just us, and she's pretty hot. Would you tap that?"

"What?" Beca nearly spit out her beer. "Are you kidding me?"

"Serious question."

"No, of course not. She's-ew."

"That's her way of saying she totally would," Benji informed them, and Beca jabbed him with her elbow as the girls laughed.

"Thanks for being a bro, bro."

"Beca, it's college."

"Yeah, even Benji's getting laid," Stacie huffed.

"Wait, what!" Beca snapped her eyes in her best friend's direction. "What!?" Benji dropped his head now though the blush creeping up his neck was visible. "Benjamin Anthony Applebaum, you better answer me this instant!"

"I-we-it just happened," he groaned.

"With who?"

"Jessica," Stacie replied before he had a chance.

"The little blonde one? CR's friend?" Benji and Stacie nodded. "Wow, and you didn't tell me?"

"In my defense, the only reason Stacie knows is because Jessica told CR!" Benji said.

"Wow, what kind of bros are we? Did you even ask her out after?"

"I-I mean, I want to, but I-I haven't gotten around-"

"Ben, you need to text her right now and invite her over."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yes! Don't let her slip away. She's nice. I expected her to be abstinate though, so then again, maybe not so much. I could be misjudging it."

"It- just-it was, well, we had talked a lot since that first party at the pool, and-well, Lily was with Donald, so she came to keep me company. Then Lily and Donald left, and-it just happened."

Beca grinned now, clanking her can against his. "You are the man, sir. I am so proud."

"Thank-you?"

"But still. You've been talking to her for a couple months, dude. It's only right you ask her out."

He carefully pulled out his phone. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"So the only one we need to get laid is B," Stacie interrupted. "Point proven."

"No one needs to get anyone laid," Beca huffed. "I'll get laid on my own terms."

"You can't tell me that your lack of lady lovin' is voluntary."

"How would you know? You don't know my life."

"No, but I see how you stare at every hot girl on this campus like you're about to jump them."

"I do not!"

"Or maybe it's just Chloe."

"Well, when a hot redhead invades your shower naked, you are hardly able to have any other thoughts take its place."

Chloe spit out a bit of her drink as Stacie gasped and turned on her. "Chloe! Did you?"

"I-she-she was singing, and-" Chloe stammered.

"She even sent Tom out," Beca smirked, wiggling her eyebrows. "Hey, what did you mean when you said that this isn't over?"

"It means she wants to see you naked again," Stacie returned.

"Shut up!" Chloe snapped, and Beca had never seen her face so red. "I was just trying to get you flustered. It's rather easy."

"Sure, Beale," Beca drawled. "Go with that."

By the time that Jessica and Cynthia Rose entered the dorm room, the others were on a suitable level. Benji, ever the gentleman, quickly mixed Jessica a drink and handed it over to her. The night was filled with ridiculous drinking games and constant ribbing. Beca was just about ready to body slam Chloe due to her antics, but Chloe would always flash her bright, big puppy dog eyes, and Beca's annoyance would dissipate in a matter of milliseconds. It was quite unnerving that she was able to do that, and Benji would only laugh because seeing his best friend back down was new and amusing. Aside from that, Beca was able to wash away thought's of a certain blonde with piercing green eyes with each shot she took, and she was grateful. Could it be her friends' constant teasing that had her thinking about the notorious Dr. Posen? Yeah, let's go with that.

* * *

Jesse looked over at Aubrey tentatively, trying to gauge her mood tonight. She had been reluctant to come out to begin with, but after begging and whining for an hour, he had coerced her into coming out for a movie with him. She had said nothing since he picked her up, and he wasn't going to push his luck. He only now began to question what the point was if she was going to be angry all night. Her lips were pursed, hair pulled back into a perfectly tight bun. Bad sign. She was in business mode. She had opted for a light blue, long-sleeved shirt beneath her blazer and khaki slacks. It was much too formal for his liking in comparison to his faded jeans and Superman t-shirt. She had had to refrain from scrutinizing his wardrobe choices, instead falling into silence. He slung an arm over her which she did not react to as the movie began. Her eyes were glued to the screen, but there were no emotions being emitted. Jesse's eyes were lit up like Christmas lights, and he gasped when something surprised him. Aubrey's eyebrows would then knit together, and she had no idea how she had come to be in such a serious relationship with such a childish man. He was twenty-nine, but you would never guess him to be the elder of the two. She sat with her hands clasped in her lap. He reached for one, but she pulled away almost immediately. By the time the movie was over, he was anticipating another argument, but he was doing everything in his power to bite his tongue.

"Would you like to come over for a nightcap?" he asked as they entered the parking lot.

"Not tonight," she replied, not offering any excuse this time, and this worried him.

"Why not?"

"I'm tired." Simple enough.

"You can stay over."

"I'm going home."

He was at his wit's end. "Why do you hate spending time with me?"

"I'm not arguing with you tonight, Jesse. I already came out with you against my will."

That cut him deep. "You didn't want to-"

"Must you be so childish?"

"Must you be so inconsiderate? I'm your boyfriend."

"You don't have to be. Good night, Jesse."

She stalked off to her car, leaving him confused beyond belief and pained deeply. Never had she been so harsh with him. Even in their many arguments while he screamed and threw a temper tantrum, she was always so calm and-_pragmatic_. There had to be something he could do to preserve their relationship, the good of the last three years. Still, she had never been this distant, and that was saying a lot. They had had good times. They had laughed and kissed passionately in the rain and watched movies all night together. She had given him her most genuine smile, one only reserved for him. What happened to all of that? Where was the love?

Aubrey slid into her bath, waiting for her muscles to relax beneath the soapy warm water. She rested her head on the edge of the tub, indulging in the serenity of the atmosphere. As she shut her eyes though, piercing steel blue appeared before her, and her eyes snapped open once more. She sighed in exasperation, running her hands down her face. Deciding that this bath wasn't going to help her at all, she climbed out of the tub and slid into her robe. She then grabbed her phone and called the only person that she could really ever talk to without being judged.

"Bree!" a sing-song voice answered after only a ring. "Hey, stranger."

"Hey, Ash, how are you?" she asked.

"I'm doing okay. How about you? How's old Barden?"

"It's-Barden, you know. Are you-busy?"

"No, not at all."

"Would you like to come over and join me for a nightcap?"

"I'll be there in twenty."

"Okay, thanks."

Ashley Carter had been her closest friend since freshman year when they became roommates. She was a nice girl and an amazing listener, and she helped Aubrey get through the most meticulous conditions of being so young in college. She had never judged Aubrey nor treated her different due to their age difference. They had not talked much since the start of the semester with Aubrey's busy schedule, but they strived to get together at least once a month usually. Ashley was a publicist in Atlanta, and she travelled a lot lately due to her promotion, but she would send the occasional text to make sure that Aubrey was okay. Only Ashley knew the full extent of Aubrey's situation with Thomas Posen and Jesse, and she had been the one to comfort Aubrey, rub circles on her back as she shredded her esophagus with vomit. She was a sweet girl, and Aubrey had always been fond of her. The crush she had spawned during their sophomore year had never been verbally acknowledged by the blonde, and it went away soon after. Thomas C. Posen would never accept a relationship of that sort, and when she met Jesse, it only seemed right that he be utilized to fend off those feelings. It worked of course, but the down side was that though she lost her deeper feelings for Ashley, she never found them for Jesse.

Aubrey was dressed with wine glasses and two bottles on the coffee table when the doorbell rang. She strutted over and opened the door to reveal the tall, curly-haired brunette smiling before her. She mimicked it. Ashley had fair ivory skin and bright hazel eyes, and she was beautiful. She hugged Aubrey tightly before they walked into the living room and sat down.

"So, spill it," Ashley immediately prompted once Aubrey had poured the wine.

Aubrey gave her a bewildered look. "Spill what?"

"Bree, I've known you much too long. I know something's wrong, and judging by the tone you used on the phone, I can narrow it down. It's either Jesse, your father or both."

Of course, Ashley could read her. "Both then."

"What happened?"

"Jesse asked me to move in with him, and my father scolded me for not being ready."

Ashley scoffed. "I can't say I'm surprised, but-seriously? He's a nice kid, but-"

"Exactly, a kid. An infuriating child that whines and begs to get his way."

"Yeah, that cannot be... Bree, you're so much better than that. You need a challenge not a child."

"What do you mean by challenge?"

"That's your type."

"I've only really dated Jesse."

"Exactly. He was handed to you. That's no challenge. You need someone that stirs up actual emotions in you whether it be joy or rage or-"

"Oh, he does stir up rage."

"But not the type of rage where you want to sit him in timeout and send him to bed without dinner." They giggled at that. "I mean, the type of rage that makes you want to tear their clothes off and lose control. You need that control, and Jesse gives it to you because he's like a scared puppy, but you need someone that's going to challenge the very bane of your existence."

"Are you serious? Have you been thinking about this much?"

"Just on the way over here. I know you've been with the guy three years, but-come on, Bree. This isn't going anywhere fast."

Aubrey chewed it over a moment. She was quite surprised. During college, Ashley had been quiet, and sometimes Aubrey forgot that she was even there at all. She had been there the whole time, and it was lost to Aubrey on many occasions. Now, her friend was outspoken, but she supposed that it had been necessary for the woman to move up the ranks of her career. Aubrey knew she could trust Ashley though to be honest but be confidential about it all. If she did not at least release the general information of the situation soon, she would surely combust.

"I-well, what if I met someone, and they just infuriate me to no end, and they should," Aubrey began nervously. "I'm supposed to be able to control them, discipline them, mold them, but they- constantly unnerve me. They aren't intimidated by me in the least. They are nearly on my level of intelligence, and they can just make so much sense despite the fact that they are saying it in a way that irks me to no end. They're full of sarcasm and snark comments, and it's irritating and intriguing all at once."

"That, my dear friend, is a challenge," Ashley replied curtly with a small smirk. "Now, does this person exist?"

"Not that I know of as of now." She wasn't ready to admit this to herself.

"Well, that would certainly be the ideal candidate. Though I'd really love to meet someone on your level of intelligence." She giggled softly, and Aubrey did as well. "You need someone to put you in your place. To pull your card and not back down from that hard exterior. Someone that can take your rage. They probably won't be much different than you. They'll just have a slightly different outlook on things. You need someone as stubborn as you so that you can't push them away. You know what they say, Bree. If they can't handle you at your worst, they don't deserve you at your best."

Aubrey smiled. "Thanks for not running from my worst."

Ashley giggled. "You're welcome. It took me awhile to adjust, but I can roll with it."

After Ashley's analysis, Aubrey was sure that she understood her own desires and needs a bit better. Still, she could not act on that understanding. Could it be though that this was the reason for her intrigue with her defiant student, her ever so elaborate antagonization? Even so, there was nothing that she could do because she was a professor, a doctor in Georgia's most prestigious university, and she could not get involved with such an affair. Her father would kill her before she could be taken off to prison, and that she was certain of. She only wondered how long she could hold back the whirl of emotions going on within her each time she was faced with an encounter involving the aforementioned pupil.

* * *

Aubrey left her office late on Tuesday night after going over her syllabus and midterm outline various times, editing and upgrading throughout. She was exhausted, and after yet another lunch in the presence on Thomas Posen, she only wanted to fall into her bed and sleep it off. She frantically searched for her keys as she walked into the parking lot, her heels clicking at a quick pace. She scavenged through her purse, and as her fingers came in contact with the familiar keychain, she was thrown backwards. As she stumbled, a hand rescued her from falling down. She was pulled upright to meet stormy blue eyes and a smirk that caused her breath to catch. She could not be sure if this encounter was a blessing or a curse.

"Miss Mitchell," she breathed shakily in an uncharacteristically high-pitched tone. "I apologize. I wasn't watching where I was going. I-"

"It's okay," Beca replied swiftly, releasing her arm and holding up her phone. "I wasn't much paying attention either. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. What are you doing out here so late?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"I was going over the midterm."

"Already? It's only October."

"Procrastination is the greatest ally of failure, Miss Mitchell."

"Right, of course." The smirk deepened, and Aubrey tensed. "How are you?"

"I'm okay. I trust that you have been working on your term paper."

The smirk transformed to a full grin. "A little bit here and there. I'll get it done."

"Very well. What are you doing out so late?"

"Is there a curfew?"

"No, but I'm-curious."

"Curiosity is a dangerous habit, Dr. Posen."

"Is that your technique of dodging my inquiry?"

"No, I-" She paused a moment, averting her gaze. "I was just coming back from my father's."

"Your father's? Why-are you walking?" She was pushing it, and she watched on as Beca immediately became uneasy. "Sorry, that-"

"Well, we had an argument, and he had picked me up, so my car was here, and...yeah."

"Oh, um, are you okay?"

Beca threw on that grin again though it faltered slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've learned to deal with my father's overbearing presence."

Aubrey eyed her a moment as the brunette shifted from one foot to another. Though the blonde was just as nervous, she decided that it was her moral duty to at least try and dig deeper, to help the younger girl in any way possible.

"Would you-like to-"

Before Aubrey could finish the offer of listening, another voice broke through the lot, and Beca could swear she heard a growl of irritation from the blonde. She looked up to see a man of medium height with cropped brown hair and a clean-shaven face. He was dressed in suit and tie just as the other professors in school were though his tie had some sort of design on it. Dare she say it was an embroidered Superman emblem?

"Hey, Bree, Dr. Moore said you were still here," Jesse called. "Can we talk? I-" Then he saw Beca. "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

Aubrey sighed internally. "Jesse, this is Beca Mitchell," she introduced, ignoring his question.

"Oh, Dr. Mitchell's daughter, right?" He offered Beca a warm smile and a hand which she hesitantly shook. "It's nice to meet you."

"Beca, this is Dr. Swanson, the music composition teacher here."

"I'm her boyfriend," he added, and Beca had to restrain a scoff at his insecure proclamation while Aubrey cringed at it.

Beca only offered him a small smile before turning back to Aubrey. "I'll see you later, Dr. Posen. Have a nice night."

"You as well, Miss Mitchell."

Needless to say, Aubrey was so caught up in her own thoughts at the moment that she accepted Jesse's thousandth apology without a hitch just to get him to shut up. She wondered when he would get tired of apologizing and hoped it was soon. Aubrey had not noticed the look of disappointment flash across Beca's face when Jesse interrupted them, and she assumed that Beca had not seen it cross her face either. This silly infatuation should not be fueled however, and she knew she should be thankful that Jesse had come. Still, she took his apology and left him in the lot, more confused than he had been moments before. Accepting his apology did not insinuate an invite back to her place or a proposal to go back to his though she was sure that had been his expectation. No, she went home and tried to drown out the thoughts of the tiny brunette alt girl from her mind. If only she could stop running into her.


	5. Beneath Your Beautiful

**_A/N: So thank you once again for all of the reviews. So we will change it to 10 reviewERs rather than 10 reviews haha but thanks so much for all of the feedback and input. My PMs have been going wild too so much love to everyone. So things get a bit intense starting now, but just understand that it isn't all that easy for them to be giving chances when it is forbidden. However, leave it up to the two most stubborn women on the planet, one of them being just a total badass, to figure it out. In this chapter, it's Beca's turn to get some well needed input and insight from an outside eye. and yes I know Jesse irritates the shit out of me too but it had to happen. I guarantee this will be one of those "i wanna punch him in the face" things but thats fine. ok here we go_**

* * *

_Something always brings me back to you._

_It never takes too long._

_No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone._

_You hold me without touch._

_You keep me without chains._

_I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your reign._

_You loved me 'cause I'm fragile._

_When I thought that I was strong._

_But you touch me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone._

_I live here on my knees as I try to make you see that you're everything I think I need here on the ground._

_But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go._

_The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down._

_You're keeping me down, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_You're on to me, on to me, and all over..._

_Something always brings me back to you._

_It never takes too long._

* * *

Beca entered her dorm room Friday night to find Amy, Stacie, Chloe, Lily, Donald, Jessica, Benji and Cynthia Rose awaiting her. She eyed them cautiously as she entered, noticing the wide and devilish grins that graced their faces. It seemed as if each and every single one of them had been patiently waiting in that position, eyes locked on the door, for quite some time. Beca wasn't sure what was going on, but their demeanors were enough to strike fear in her heart. Something told her that there was no way this could turn out well for her.

"Is this an intervention?" she slowly questioned, eyebrow raised. "Because you guys have been drinking just as much as much as me."

"Nope!" Chloe chirped before a thoughtful look appeared on her face. "Although, that's a bit ironic considering why we're actually here." Then she shrugged. "Anyway, we're going out."

"Out? What do you mean out?"

"We're going to Etta's."

"Who's that?"

Stacie and Chloe huffed in agitation. "It's a karaoke bar."

"Oh, no! Stop right there! I'm not going to-"

"Beca, you owe me. You lied to me remember? You said you couldn't sing."

"No one told you to invade my shower."

"Shower? What?" Amy questioned, her and CR looking at Chloe now suspiciously.

"Oh, get over it," Chloe went on, waving them off. "Now hurry up and get ready. We're going."

"I don't want-"

"Short Stack," Amy warned, eyes flashing back to her roommate. "I'll carry you out if I have to."

And she did. After fifteen minutes of relentless refusal, Amy stood and slung her roommate over her shoulder effortlessly. The others chortled as they followed her out, Beca beating on the large Aussie's back and demanding release. Amy did not even flinch. She at last made it to Chloe's car and tossed Beca in the front seat, locking the door as the redhead buckled her in. The others slid into either Chloe's car or Jessica's small SUV. Beca crossed her arms as they drove down the street.

"You're pouting again," Chloe smirked.

"Shut it, Beale," she snapped.

"Don't be mad, Becs. It'll be fun. I'll buy you as many drinks as you please. They don't card there. My brother told me."

Beca didn't say another word, but when they arrived at the place, she did try to lock herself in the car. Chloe had to unlock it while Amy quickly jerked the door open. Then CR and Benji dragged the small DJ out. She then received a smack upside the head from Chloe for being so childish, but she continued with her pouting until they were sat at a table and Amy just about forced a shot of tequila down her throat. And another. Not long after that, she had relaxed as she watched the various patrons get on stage and sing their hearts out, accepting defeat. Some acts were enjoyable. Others were the equivalent to nails scratching against a chalkboard. Still, she was in her zone after a few beers. Soon, her table was in line for a shot at the microphone. She watched as Cynthia Rose and Stacie did their rendition of S&M by Rihanna, grinding on one another shamelessly on stage. Beca chortled at the sight, but her bro looked happy, so she was okay. Benji and Jessica then sang "Magic" by B.O.B, and Beca was surprised to find that her best friend could rap a bit now. What she found more surprising was that Jessica could rap as well, and she was pretty good. She had the crowd on their feet. Chloe tried to get Beca on stage with her after Lily and Donald did a duet of beat boxing to "Make Me Proud" by Drake and Nick Minaj which was rather enjoyable. Beca tried not to give in, but when the redhead pouted about not having a partner too, the DJ was done. She trudged up the stairs and sang "Titanium" with the girl, getting into it after a moment although Chloe took the time to inform her that the song was the redhead's "lady jam". It wasn't rocket science figuring out what that mean, but Chloe was thoroughly enjoying herself, so Beca went along with it.

As they finished up, she glanced over at the exit, internally contemplating a getaway. However, she froze when she saw a familiar face enter the bar. It was none other than the object of her constant hallucinations and dreams dressed in a simple white dress, a navy blue coat and her bifocals. Her hair was down tonight, not in the usual uptight bun Beca was accustomed to, and she was stunning. Then there came that overly happy music teacher that looked like a lost puppy half the time and had come into the lot the night they ran into one another, literally.

As Beca looked on, Dr. Posen looked up over the rim of her glasses, and their eyes met. It were as if their gazes were magnetically pulled to one another, and Beca could not break away. What she did next was something she would never understand or bother to try and explain. She had no idea how or why, but it just felt right to her. She would blame the liquor or any other excuse that would be satisfying if ever questioned by another or by herself. As Aubrey took a seat with Dr. Swanson at one of the tables near the stage looking miserable while he chatted her ear off, Beca turned and gave the DJ another song request. Chloe had already walked back to the table, so when she looked up to see Beca still on stage, microphone in hand, she quirked an eyebrow. The others gave her a questioning look, but she only shrugged. Then the song began, and the entire group, Aubrey included at the other side of the bar, was captivated, her emerald green eyes darting up to the stage and shimmering in the light. Beca stole a few glances at the professor, glad that Dr. Swanson was now preoccupied with his menu, and she even went as far as throwing a wink at the blonde beforehand, causing the older woman's body to instantly go taut. Still, her eyes never wavered from the stage and the small alt girl. Then, she began to sing in that billowy voice that had haunted Aubrey on all too many occasions. The passion that poured from her mouth was almost palpable.

_You tell all the boys "No"_

_Makes you feel good, yeah._

_I know you're out of my league_

_But that won't scare me away, oh, no_

_You've carried on so long,_

_You couldn't stop if you tried it._

_You've built your walls so high_

_That no one could climb it,_

_But I'm gonna try_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect?_

_Take it off now, girl, take it off now, girl_

_I wanna see inside_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

_You let all the girls go_

_Makes you feel good, don't it?_

_Behind your Broadway show_

_I heard a boy say, "Please, don't hurt me"_

_You've carried on so long_

_You couldn't stop if you tried it._

_You've built your wall so high_

_That no one could climb it._

_But I'm gonna try_

When Chloe realized the nervous glances that Beca was shooting elsewhere off stage, she followed them, but she could not make out who or what the brunette kept looking at in her inebriated state. The only one capable of recognizing who she was glancing at was Cynthia Rose, but she swore herself to silence, smirking nonetheless as she sipped her drink and listened to her best bro's serenade.

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect?_

_Take it off now, girl, take it off now, girl_

_I wanna see inside_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight, oh, tonight?_

_See beneath, see beneath,_

_I..._

_Tonight_

_I..._

_I'm gonna climb on top your ivory tower_

_I'll hold your hand and then we'll jump right out_

_We'll be falling, falling but that's OK_

_'Cause I'll be right here_

_I just wanna know_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect?_

_Take it off now, girl, take it off now, girl (take it off now, boy,take it off now, boy)_

_'Cause I wanna see inside_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight, oh, oh, oh, tonight?_

_See beneath your beautiful, oh, tonight._

_We ain't perfect, we ain't perfect, no._

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

The song faded out, and everyone in the bar was on their feet clapping. Aubrey stayed sitting, but she did clap, trying to regulate the smile on her face to keep it from morphing into a full-on grin. Beca walked off the stage with one last glance at the blonde feeling dizzy, head clouded but body weightless. She slid in beside Chloe and called for another beer. Chloe only giggled and kissed her cheek, unaware of the glare aimed at her from the other side of the bar.

"That was beautiful, Becs," the redhead hiccuped.

"Thanks," Beca replied with a smile.

"Who-who were you singing to?"

"You." It was the first thing that came to mind, and Chloe's eyes bulged.

"Really?"

"Yeah, sure."

"If I weren't spoken for, you would be in for it, Mitchell."

"I'm still waiting for it, Beale. Enough with the empty threats."

Chloe kissed her cheek once more with a giggle before walking towards the bar again with some squeal about jiggle juice or something. Beca just shrugged it off, and though she could feel that piercing gaze of hazel green on the side of her head, she was okay with it because she was coming to terms. She may have just liked Dr. Posen after all, more than she ever thought possible. What could become of that, or couldn't, was a debate for another day. Tonight, she couldn't take another look at the helpless woman and her goofball of a companion.

Meanwhile, Aubrey was already starting in on her third vodka and cran, desperately attempting to tame her nerves. She had seen Beca continually glance over at her as she sang, and she wanted to believe that the brunette was actually singing to her. It wasn't in the way that Jesse sang to her while he cooked breakfast when she allowed him to stay over or when he broke out in song in the car. It was a sweet, silky, passionate serenade that made Aubrey's heart skip a beat. This could not be happening. She had to stop seeing Beca so much, stop delving deeper into their meetings. It were as if the world wanted to see her lose control because, unbeknownst to her as of yet, that was exactly what was happening. Beca was the challenge that Ashley had spoken to her about. She was the one that would have the blonde coming undone, losing all ounces of self-control and willpower. It was a scary thought, but avoiding it did not make it any less true. She was underneath the professor's skin, deep within that and slowly moving towards her core. This was without even trying. She had no idea how Beca felt towards her, but if the wink followed by the song choice and amendment of the lyrics was anything to go by, she only hoped that it was similar to her...wait, no. This could not be. This could never happen. She could not even entertain the thought because she was a Posen, and Posens...always used them being Posens as some sort of excuse. That was all that she could draw from this train of thought, but what she was gradually coming to realize was that she was in deep.

November came into Barden with chill weather, and it was welcomed by all. With Thanksgiving around the corner, everyone was making plans for their short breaks. Beca planned on just hanging around campus. She had told her father that Chloe had invited her to her family's gathering but only to get him off of her back about going to his house. Benji and his family were off to Oregon to visit with his older sister, so that was out of the question. She thought that some time in solitude would be good though. She could work on mixes.

"So you're going to Jacksonville then?" Beca asked the redhead as they sat on the quad drinking coffee.

"Yeah," Chloe replied happily. "I leave Tuesday afternoon, and I'll probably be back Saturday. What about you?"

"I'll be-spending it at my dad's."

"That sounds fun."

"Sure."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Beca, I'm taking a shot in the dark here, but I'm gonna say you and your dad aren't all that close."

Right on point, but Beca had yet to fully open up to the bubbly redhead, and she wasn't up for it right now. She didn't want to be cranky for philosophy in an hour.

"We just-don't see eye to eye," she offered.

"Well, why don't you come down to Jacksonville with me? The family would love to meet you."

"Isn't Tom going?"

"So?"

Beca snorted. "That's okay, Chlo. Besides, you're stopping to see his family. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I can bare my dad for a dinner or two. Besides, the station will still be running, so maybe I can get Luke to give me something fun to do."

"Okay, but the offer stands if you change your mind."

"Thanks."

"What about Benji?"

"He's going to Oregon to see his sister."

"Oh, well just remember, Beca. You have a lot of friends now. Don't be afraid to come to us."

"Course not."

After their coffee, the pair met Benji near the library and walked to their philosophy lecture hall. They discussed yet another paper that they had been assigned by Dr. Posen, and Beca was the only one feeling confident about it. Chloe insisted it was because the blonde wanted to eat her alive, and Beca could only respond with a sour look. She knew that Chloe's teasing had not slowed because of the many reasons given each week to keep it up. If Dr. Posen didn't call Beca after class, Beca would either see her before class or hang back after just to see how she was. She would intentionally walk near the building each other day of the week just to get a glimpse at the woman though she wasn't sure why. She continued half-hearted snark in class here and there only to refrain from giving Chloe more fuel for the fire, but the redhead really didn't need any. Still, Beca had become increasingly interested in the blonde, and each time she saw her with Dr. Swanson, she had the impulsive urge to punch him in his dorky face. It seemed that each time Beca saw them together, Dr. Posen looked anything but thrilled, so she wasn't really sure what to make of their relationship. She didn't care though. It wouldn't phase her emotions. If anything, it only amplified them.

The trio took their usual seats in the back of the class after placing their essays in the appropriate bin. What alarmed Beca from the moment she walked in was the absence of their professor. She was never late. She was the most punctual woman Beca knew, and she didn't understand it. She tried to shake it off, going over her notes from the prior week's lecture. As she reviewed Nietzsche, a flustered Dr. Posen hurried into the room throwing out pleasantries and apologies without a breath. She quickly jumped into the lecture, surprising everyone though no one said a word. Beca immediately began taking notes on her laptop, her voice recorder on as well. She had started recording the lectures a few weeks prior. It weren't as if she needed to, but for some reason, when she found herself alone, she liked to drown herself in the blonde's voice. Hmm, she should probably be more discreet about that.

Once class was over, Beca waved her friends on, telling them she would catch up. Aubrey was at her desk, digging through multiple stacks of papers and trying to organize everything. When the room had cleared, Beca shouldered her bag and strode over to the woman. The blonde didn't seem to notice her presence as she continued shuffling through papers.

"Uh, Dr. P?" Beca called, and those deep green eyes snapped up with a gasp.

"Oh, Miss Mitchell," she breathed as she straightened up before the brunette, adjusting her lopsided glasses on the bridge of her nose. "You startled me."

Beca smiled softly. "Apologies. I just-I wanted to see if you were okay."

Aubrey was a bit taken aback. "Yes, I'm fine. It's been a bit of a hectic morning, but I am okay."

The DJ smirked now. "Sleep late?"

"You know better than that, Miss Mitchell." The blonde smiled now as well.

"I guess I do. So, you ready for the break then? Looks like you could use it."

"Oh, it won't be much different. I'll probably still be here."

"Me too. No worries."

"What about-" She almost exposed the fact that she had eavesdropped on Beca's conversation with Dr. Mitchell. "I-aren't you going home or with your father for dinner?"

"I'd rather spend it in a cemetery than my father's house." Beca's eyes bulged as she realized what she had said and quickly tried to cover up.

"I just figured it would be nice for some quiet time here. What about you? No family to go see?"

"Well, my parents live in Atlanta, so if I decide to go, it wouldn't be far."

"What about-uh, your-boyfriend?"

"He's going to his parents' home in Athens, but I politely declined." Aubrey berated herself for speaking so much, but she could not help it. She wanted to console Beca somehow.

"Oh."

Beca shifted now before looking up again to meet those eyes. There was something in them as they fully focused on hers that she had not seen before. She couldn't exactly explain it, but before she knew what was happening, she was drifting towards the blonde. Aubrey made no effort to move or stop her, her own body leaning forward slightly. Just as their lips were centimeters away, the door opened. Beca jumped back instantly, fiddling with her bag before looking over her shoulder. There stood her father looking over a folder in his hands, and her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. She quickly headed for the door as Warren looked up.

"Oh, Beca, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I-I needed help with my term paper," she grunted, not meeting his eyes.

"Well, it's good to see you making an effort."

"Yeah. Bye."

She scurried out of the room, the eyes of the two professors following her for a moment before Dr. Mitchell remembered the task at hand in which he had come to complete. He looked over at a now-composed Aubrey and smiled.

"Dr. Posen," he greeted with a nod.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Mitchell," she replied, her arms folded over her chest.

"I'm glad to see she's seeking help."

"She's doing very well in my class."

"That's good to hear. That, uh, Chloe is in here as well, correct?" _Where was this going?_

"Miss Beale is in this class as well, yes."

"Chloe Beale? Hmm, I can't put a face. They are close then."

Aubrey suddenly became enraged at the words. "All of the PDA would lead me to assume so, yes."

Dr. Mitchell cocked an eyebrow now, giving the blonde a curious look, and Aubrey's stomach churned. No, that was not Beca's professor talking, was it? That was not Aubrey speaking. That was the green monster that reared its ugly head any time that the redhead was mentioned or witnessed in Beca's personal space. That was her jealousy making itself known, and she cringed at this as Dr. Mitchell grew increasingly unnerved.

"PDA?" he repeated, venom lacing the words. "Like-they date?"

"I-I didn't mean-they just-"

"Thank you, Dr. Posen."

Before Aubrey could attempt a comprehensive response, he stalked out of the room in what could only be called a rage. This was not good. Aubrey may or may have not just outed Beca to her father, and she wasn't sure how to react or what to do. This was bad. It was not her place to do so. Sure, she was the professor, and this was her class, but she had only just begun to gain Beca's trust, and...No. She shouldn't care. She should not be torn up about the alt girl hating her after Dr. Mitchell confronted her. She should be jumping for joy and relief. Still, she could not calm the anxious feeling in her gut. Instead, she clapped a hand over her mouth before whirling around and emptying the contents of her stomach into the waste basket.

Beca's mind was reeling as she drove away from Barden. Her heart had never beat so fast in her life. She had been this close to being caught up in a compromising position with Dr. Posen by none other than her father. She could not even imagine what he would have done had he not been focused on the folder in his hand when he walked in, had she closed the gap between her and the blonde just a few seconds earlier. She could not believe it had happened at all. She drew a blank on as to how they had come in such proximity. It were almost magnetic. Like gravity, she had been pulled towards the blonde. Even with her father almost catching them kissing, she was more angry at the interruption than scared. She had wanted to know what those lips tasted like, felt like against hers. She had wanted to run her fingers through that blonde hair, releasing the waves from that overly tight bun. She wanted to gaze into those emerald green eyes, get lost in them, but how could it ever possibly happen? There were a billion cons in comparison to only a few pros, but those pros weighed heavily on Beca's mind, body and soul. She could not understand it at all, but that was a major part of the infatuation. She loved spontaneity, and what was more spontaneous than falling for your uptight philosophy teacher? Falling? Wait, what? No, she had to shake these thoughts because this could never happen. For the safety of not only her but for the blonde, this idea could not be entertained. As she drove, she picked up her phone and called the only person she felt that she could not only trust with the matter but that she could count on to give a intricate insight on.

Beca and Cynthia Rose decided to go into the city for dinner. They had just finished their shift at the radio station, and CR could tell that Beca was out of it when she called beforehand, so she cancelled her plans with Stacie on the grounds of the "need for emergency bro time" which her girlfriend understood. Beca had not been against the idea whatsoever though she had only planned to talk to CR before their shift. The other woman had insisted they make a night of it, and it were as if Cynthia Rose already knew how fragile the situation was. That washed away any indecision left on the DJ's mind. They pulled into a sports bar and grill and made their way inside. There were TVs scattered throughout the place with football games displayed, and one of the gorgeous waitresses led them to a booth. When CR coolly ordered two beers, the waitress did not ask any questions. She simply scribbled it down after she was done making googly eyes at Beca and pranced off.

"So what's up with it, B?" CR asked once they had their drinks.

"What?" Beca asked, being pulled from her trance.

"B, we're bros, and I know that whatever you wanted to talk about is serious business. You can tell me anything, and it'll never leave this little bro box." Beca chuckled at that, and CR did as well before turning serious once more. "For real, B. Tell me."

"Well." Beca sighed, taking a deep breath as she gathered her thoughts. She really did trust Cynthia Rose in their short time knowing each other, and it felt right telling her the truth. "What if-well, okay. You remember that I told you I liked a challenge when it came to women, right?"

"Yeah, you like 'em angry."

They chortled. "Yeah, exactly. Well, what if there's this person that-she just-she drives me to my wit's end, you know. She's so-just-she's a challenge for me for sure. She isn't intimidated by all of my defenses, but she has a lot of her own too. She's the most infuriating person in the world, but-I'm intrigued regardless because I feel like I'm missing something, like there's something I'm missing in all of it. She's-when I think of her, it's like-looking into a mirror, you know. I wanna find out, but-I'm playing with fire. It just-can't happen."

"Why can't it?" Beca dropped her gaze now, nervously fidgeting in her seat. Luckily, CR had enough to go on. "It's dangerous, B. Playing with fire, but-you can't deny your heart, especially if she feels the same way. If you challenge each other, it means that you're on a harder level, but it doesn't mean you're incompatible. Honestly, I really don't know how it would work. Of course, no one could find out, but-if you feel it then who can stop you? The heart wants what the heart wants, and it doesn't discriminate."

Beca quirked an eyebrow, looking up now. "What are you-"

CR smirked. "B, it's okay. I know. I mean, you practically _skip _to philosophy, and I know that Badass Beca Mitchell doesn't skip." They laughed once more. "You talk about her all of the time even though it's mostly negative, but that's just your defense. You play those lectures a million times when we're in the library, and for crying out loud, you have them in your iPod!"

"Shhh!" Beca snapped.

"Sorry, but for real, B. Plus, I know who you were singing to at Etta's that night, and she seemed really into it. You should've seen her. It ain't your fault. You can't fight the way you feel."

"That's an R. Kelly song, right?"

CR shrugged. "Probably."

"I just-damn, how did this happen?"

"Love is crazy. You and I both never thought Stacie would be in a steady relationship from the first time we met her, yet here we are, right?"

"Yeah, I know, but-CR, she's-" Her voice lowered now. "A professor."

"Yeah, but love knows no occupation."

"Great. We have a philosopher on our hands."

CR chuckled. "I think you just like saying that word."

Beca scowled at her. "Shut up."

"Okay, I think you get enough teasing from Red about it."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"No, really. Thanks, C, for listening, for not judging me, for being a good bro." They laughed. "I was never the kind of girl to have a lot of friends that were girls, and though this is kind of different, still. It's good to know that I don't have to rely on Benji. You're a lot better at understanding the whole forbidden and outrageous stuff."

"Hey, I've been there. Well, not with a teacher, but you know. I mean, I got Stacie, and that's a huge achievement in itself."

"Hey, she's lucky to have you, and so am I."

CR grinned, and they bumped fists over the table as the waitress returned to get their food orders. Beca wasn't sure what to make of all of this, but what she knew was that CR was right. She couldn't dictate how she felt. If she could, her entire life would be different. She would be unfazed by the action of her parents. She wouldn't have broken Leah Pierson's heart in high school, and she definitely wouldn't be pining over her philosophy professor. However, she could not control this brittle heart of hers, and therefore, she only had one choice. She had to follow it, but that was, like so many things in her life, easier said than done. Also, she wasn't the only one that had to commit to that choice.


	6. Harness That Side of Yourself

**_A/N: Okay guys so you turned my reviews deal against me haha. I had to drag this one out a bit longer. Honestly, choosing the opening song took longer than writing the chapter, but this chapter is super big and important, so I reread it and edited three or four times just to make sure I properly conveyed everything I wanted to. The drama and angst is turned up a little more but for the best. I do have to up our review deal to 15 though because i slowed down and i shouldn't have lol but i promise the updates will still be timely. to those reviewing, i appreciate you guys stopping in and doing that. you guys got everyone another chapter so thank you very much. i love you all! so heres your reward!_**

* * *

_Just hear me out_

_If it's not perfect I'll perfect it 'til my heart explodes_

_I highly doubt_

_I can make it through another of your episodes_

_Lashing out_

_One of the petty moves you pull before you lose control_

_You wear me out_

_But it's all right now_

_We could end up making love instead of misery_

_Cause the sex is so much better when you're mad at me_

_You wear me out_

_But it's all right now_

_Without a doubt_

_Lets hash it out_

_Cause your bitchin and your yelling don't mean anything_

_Don't count me out_

_I can handle all the baggage that you're carrying_

_You wear me out_

_But it's all right now_

_We could end up making love instead of misery_

_Cause the sex is so much better when you're mad at me_

_You wear me out (We could end up making love instead of misery)_

_But it's alright now_

_We could end up making love instead of misery_

_Cause the sex is so much better when you're mad at me_

_We could end up making love instead of misery_

_Cause the sex is so much better when you're mad at me_

_You wear me out_

_(We could end up making love instead of misery)_

_But it's all right now_

_(Cause the sex is so much better when you're mad at me)_

* * *

Friday was to be a good day. It was the start of the final three days before Thanksgiving break, and every student was looking forward it. Beca was buckling down, completing all that needed to be done before the break so that she wouldn't have to fret over it during her days off. She would be able to dedicate her full time and focus to mixing. She read over the first few chapters of her term paper, Chloe, Cynthia Rose and Stacie sitting with her around a table in the library equally immersed in their work. When she had read the same paragraph over six times, she let out a heavy sigh and slumped back in her chair.

"What's wrong?" Chloe asked, eyes remaining trained on her own paper.

"You know you're working too hard when your own writing stops making sense to you," Beca replied, digging the heels of her palms into her eyes with a yawn.

"Let me see."

Chloe pulled the brunette's laptop towards her and scanned over the paragraph that was currently highlighted on the screen. It was their English Grammar and Composition term paper, and it was due a week before all others. Dr. Morgan was anything but lenient, and he had handed over the most rigorous prompts to his students. Beca had been lucky enough to draw the importance of figures of speech in music lyrics. It was a rather broad topic, but at least music was involved. Chloe feared that the brunette would have completely blown it off otherwise. She herself had drawn "the origin of a cliche", and that as well was quite vague. She had outlined the subject thoroughly in order to narrow down the concept, but it was still a strenuous ideology to grasp. Based on Beca's passionate hatred for movies, she had assured the redhead that she would "gouge her own eyes out" before she wrote a ten-page essay on the general topic of cliches. Chloe decided to bypass informing the brunette that cliches were one of the many figures of speech used in music.

"This is really good, Becs," the redhead concluded, reading the words once more. "It's very well worded. Did you outline it and everything?"

Beca scoffed. "No, I just started writing."

"Figures," CR sighed. "You hate school more than any of us, and it just comes natural to you."

"Your lady love's rubbing off on you, huh?" Chloe smirked.

"Don't start, Beale," Beca warned.

"What? I didn't do anything. I was just-"

"Chloe."

"Okay, fine, fine. Anyway, this is a good start. How many pages do you have?"

"Three."

"Seriously? I haven't even started the cover page."

Beca snorted. "A Plus Beale better get on with it then."

"Dude, I only have like the first six sentences," Cynthia Rose whined.

"What was your prompt?"

"What is the sought accomplishment of personification."

"Yikes."

"Yeah. Stacie just has to pick a figure of speech and write about it using examples, explaining why they're important to their context."

"Are you serious?" Beca gasped before she huffed a breath. "It's the legs."

"I second that decree."

Stacie glared at them as they sniggered, bumping fists over the table.

"Too bad Dr. Posen doesn't teach that class, huh, B?" she smirked.

"Shut it, Conrad," Beca shot back.

"What? At least you'll get a good grade on your philosophy paper."

"Good, because I plan on turning in a blank sheet."

Chloe smacked her shoulder lightly as Stacie and Cynthia Rose chortled.

"So, are you guys meeting the 'rents this holiday?" Beca asked the couple.

"Nope, not me," Cynthia Rose replied.

"My parents are out of the country," Stacie explained. "Dad works for perfume companies, so they're in London for the month. I however will be meeting the 'rents, and CR will be meeting mine over Christmas break." She smiled over at CR.

"No shit?"

"Yeah," Cynthia confirmed. "Mama Dean's more excited than I am. My dad's even bugging about when we're coming and if we can come early."

"Where do they live?"

"Augusta."

"Nice. That should be fun."

"Yeah, it's a big family and a whole lot of home cooking."

"She isn't gonna come back fat, is she?" Chloe asked cautiously, eyes portraying genuine worry.

Stacie smacked her arm as the table chuckled. "I make no promises," CR managed.

"Well, I'll set up a workout schedule for when you get back. At least, you might have some ass then though."

The other three broke into breathy laughter as Stacie scowled at them. They heard the librarian shush them from somewhere on the opposite side of the book shelves, sobering them subtly.

"Let's wrap it up and go get lunch before we get banned from here," Chloe sighed.

The other three consented, gathering their books and laptops and stowing them away before standing from the table and heading out of the library. They ended up at their habitual diner, calling the waitress for their usual. It was a bit surreal to Beca to have a usual at a certain place. It may seem silly to others to look so deeply at something so trivial, but to her, it was verification of the fact that she had now instilled some order in her life. This was brand new to her, but she decided that she may have sort of liked it just a little bit though she would never proclaim that aloud.

"So, you feeling good about the semester then?" Cynthia Rose questioned Beca.

"I guess so," the DJ shrugged. "I mean, I made it a lot further than I first projected."

"I'm proud of you, Becs," Chloe assured her. "You're doing very well, and you kept at it."

"You're just happy I didn't leave so that you could continue teasing me."

Chloe gasped, feigning hurt as she clutched at her chest. "Beca Mitchell, that is _soooo _not true."

"Oh, but it _soooo _is."

"Is that really what you think of me?"

Beca snorted, throwing an arm around the ginger's neck and shaking her. "Shut up, Beale."

"Is this your form of affection?" Chloe mumbled.

"Yeah, let's go with that."

Beca released Chloe when their drinks arrived. "You're violent, Mitchell."

"Oh, please. That was nothing."

Chloe's eyes bulged as she slowly looked over at the DJ. "Are you saying...there's more?"

The other three giggled in favor of her antics.

"Someone's been hanging around the Snark Queen way too much," Stacie smirked.

"I resent that," Beca shot out.

"Don't worry, B. We wouldn't have you any other way."

* * *

Beca was sitting at her desk that evening going over her Chemistry notes. After lunch with the trio then dinner with Amy and Benji, she had decided to do one last run through of the material while Amy was attending her final lecture of the week. In between jotting down and highlighting passages and cramming formulas, Beca had been working on a mix. It was nearing seven o'clock, and she was about ready to call it in with the study materials when the door flew open, nearly jumping off of its hinges, and a rather irate Dr. Mitchell stormed in. He snatched the earphones out of her ears and threw them on the desk. She whirled around in her chair with a bewildered look on her face. She registered his deep scarlet face and red eyes, and she was surprised that steam was not currently protruding from his ears. Her heart dropped, and she immediately thought the worst. Dr. Posen had told him that she had tried to kiss the professor. She just knew it, but she could not give herself away. She masked her fear with confusion now, praying that she could somehow talk her way out of this. Worse case scenario, she resorted to the usual snark and he allowed her to drop out of school though that wasn't much of a concern to her anymore.

"Dad? What the-" she began, but he cut her off.

"You're gay?" he snarled.

Now, Beca had never felt obligated to tell her parents this detail about herself. Neither was ever around for the tale, and it just became a fact in her life that no longer summoned proper mention in any scenario. Benji and his parents knew, and they had excepted her without hesitation. To her, that was all that had ever mattered. Those in her closest circle were aware, and it was never questioned nor judged. In her mind, Warren Mitchell had never earned the privilege of being updated on something as negligible as her sexual preferences.

"Okay?" was her dumbfounded response, wondering how he did in fact find out.

"You're gay, and you didn't tell me?"

"Well, it isn't like you were ever around to-"

"You said that Chloe was a friend!"

Beca's eyes must have been in her hairline by now. "She is. What are you talking about?"

"Really, because Dr. Posen seems to think otherwise."

_What? _"What the hell would Dr. Posen know?"

"PDA in her classes seem to have her convinced that you and Chloe are more than friends."

"PDA? What PDA? Chloe has a boyfriend. I'm not involved with anyone right now."

"But you admit you're gay?"

"It isn't a crime, Dad. I'm gay. So what?"

Her indifference drove him over the edge. "This-you're a disgrace!"

She chuckled nonchalantly. "Glad I didn't ask for your opinion."

"Stop it! Stop being so nonchalant about this!"

She smirked now, and as she did, Warren's hand whipped across her face in a swift movement. Caught completely off guard by the act, she tumbled out of the chair from the impact, cheek deep scarlet as the hit seared her skin. She looked up at him in awe, but it had no effect on his anger. Therefore, after a few moments, she recovered from shock with her own rage now in place. She jumped up from the ground.

"Get-out!" she roared.

"Beca, you-"

"Get out before I call the dean!"

"He won't do anything to me. I'm-"

"Try me, Warren! Get out and never come back. With or without your help, I'm out of this fuckin' school!"

"You disgust me."

"The feeling's mutual."

When he made no move to leave, she attempted to step around him, but he jerked her backwards. Just then, to both Beca's relief and worry, Amy walked in.

"Hey, Short Stack, I-" she began, but then she saw the angry Dr. Mitchell. And the mark across Beca's face. Her tone was now that of concern and rising vexation. "Beca, what happened?"

She wouldn't answer, so Amy faced Dr. Mitchell, taking stance in between the father and daughter. Never had Beca seen the blonde become so angry. Her eyebrows knitted together, eyes flashing dangerously as her fists clenched. She gritted her teeth, and Dr. Mitchell visibly recoiled, his anger now laced with a tinge of fear.

"I think you need to leave, Dr. Mitchell," she growled.

Before he did, Beca rushed from the room and out of Baker Hall. She didn't notice Cynthia Rose, Chloe and Stacie heading for her dorm, but before they could process the scene unraveling before them of Beca sprinting off or yell out her name, she disappeared out of the hall. Her brain continued to attempt to process what had just taken place, her vision blurry with unshed tears. She was beyond enraged as she clenched her jaw, teeth grinding together. She had no idea where she was going, but before she knew it, she was in front of the building housing Dr. Posen's office. Her rage impossibly intensified as she glared at the front entrance. The woman had no right. She had no place to tell Dr. Mitchell anything about Beca, father or not, colleague or not. She could not believe the nerve of the woman. There was no valid excuse that would be significant enough to justify what the woman had done. Coming to Barden was enough, but now she had to deal with the wrath of her father. Never had he hit her before, but then again, never had she had time to anger him so extensively. Now, she wanted to confront the blonde for making the campus even more of a personal hell for the brunette. All logical thinking went out the door as she blew through the entrance.

* * *

Stacie, Cynthia Rose and Chloe raced into Beca's room where Amy was glaring at a shocked Dr. Mitchell. When he saw the redhead however, the wrath returned. Now, he put a face to the name. The girls were currently focused on Amy though because they had not seen anything but bubbly happiness from the blonde, and if she was that furious, this was serious.

"Amy, what happened?" CR questioned. "Why is Beca-"

"You!" he growled, pointing an accusatory finger at the redhead and causing the other three girls to immediately step in front of her as they assumed what had just taken place. "You did this!"

"Did what?" Chloe asked shakily. "What are you-"

"My daughter isn't gay! She isn't some-_dyke_, and you will not be influencing her! I won't-"

"Dr. Mitchell, if you don't get the fuck out of homegirl's room, you won't leave here recognizable," Cynthia Rose snarled now, stepping forward in uncharacteristic aggravation that scared even her friends aside from Amy, who was caught up in her own newfound rage. "I swear that you will regret saying another word if you do."

Dr. Mitchell stared her down a moment, but Cynthia Rose's glare was unwavering, flashes of violent ire racing through her orbs. Then Amy stepped closer to him as well, the same dangerous look in her eyes. At last, he pushed through them and trudged out of the room. The moment Stacie closed the door behind him, Chloe fell into a fit of tears, and the other three pulled her into their arms as Amy described the scene she had discovered.

* * *

Beca was not even sure if the woman was still there, but she did not care at the moment as she rushed down the empty and dim-lit hallways. She was outside of the blonde's office in minutes after bounding up the stairs to the third floor, throwing the door open without a second thought. The blonde was indeed present, and she jumped at the sudden racket. Beca slammed the door behind her, standing there with a death glare aimed at her professor as she balled up her fists.

"Miss Mitchell?" the blonde gasped, pushing her glasses back up her nose. "What are you-"

"What gives you the right!" she barked, effectively cutting the woman off.

"What-"

"You have no right to talk to my dad about me! Who the fuck are you?! Chloe and I are friends!" _Why did she feel the need to explain herself to the woman she was ready to kill?_ "We're nothing more, and there was no reason for you to say anything about it to that bastard!"

Aubrey stood now, taking place between her desk and the fuming brunette, trying desperately to retain her composure though she was internally panicking."Beca, I-"

"What the fuck is your problem!"

That's when Aubrey saw the mark across her face. "Beca, what happened? Did he hit-"

"Answer me!"

"It didn't come out that way. He assumed I meant-he asked if she was in my class, but I didn't-"

"What! Are you jealous!"

Now Aubrey went off the edge, anger rising inside of her. "What! I am not jealous of you or anyone else, Miss Mitchell! I am your professor, nothing more, and I-"

"Oh, really? Because you seem really defensive for not being-"

"You have the audacity to accuse me! How dare you! You know nothing about me!"

"That never stopped _you_!"

"You need to leave!"

"You go ahead! Hide behind that hard-headed-"

Aubrey scoffed. "Hard-headed! That is the most hypocritical title to ever pass through your lips!"

"Really? Maybe it takes one to know one. You are a conniving-"

"Leave now!"

"Why can't you admit it! You feel it too! You know it!"

Aubrey's blood ran cold, her body tensing. "I don't know-"

"Stop lying to yourself! Do you always look so miserable around your boyfriend? Do you always get so nervous around a student that-"

"Beca Mitchell, I will not tolerate this inappropriate talk! Get out of my office before I call campus security!"

Beca's eyes narrowed. "You don't want me to leave. You just don't want to hear the truth."

"Get-out."

Beca glowered at her for another second before turning and stomping out of the room. The moment the door closed behind her, Aubrey's knees buckled, and she leaned heavily against her desk as she expelled a heavy breath. Before the whirl of emotions could settle into nausea however, the door flew open once more. Beca closed the door behind her, but this time, she locked it before turning off the light. Aubrey's eyes widened as Beca closed the distance between them in less than a second, her hands gripping the blonde's face. Aubrey put her hands to the brunette's chest in a feeble attempt to defend against the attack. The brunette was going to kill her. She was sure of that. Then, as the blonde's mind went crazy, Beca surged forward, crashing their lips together in a bruising kiss. Wait, what? No. Yes. Beca was kissing her. Hard. It was a kiss full of lust, passion, desire, pent up frustration and rage. At first, she couldn't react. Her mind went blank then it went haywire. Then she was clutching at Beca's elbows then her shirt, pulling her impossibly closer. She let out a deep moan, Beca catching it in her own mouth as she lifted Aubrey onto the desk. The blonde could not think. Her judgement was blurred completely, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She took no notice of her pragmatically organized desk items being strewn every which way, how the stapler was now facing south on its side. She could not pay any bit of attention to the wrinkles that would no doubt be left in her perfectly ironed outfit. She could not panic over the fact that her high-priced Ray Bans had just flown off of her face and crashed to the ground. None of that mattered because Beca Mitchell's lips were melded together with her own. Beca's hands were exploring beneath her skirt, and when one came in contact with her damp underwear, she gasped. Beca's lips moved to her neck, mercilessly attacking it as Aubrey's digits became tangled in chocolate tresses. Beca yanked off her underwear hungrily before her fingers ran the length of Aubrey's heat.

"Beca!" she squealed, the grip on Beca's hair tightening to where she was clawing at her scalp.

Beca only grunted as she pushed two fingers inside of the blonde's slick folds, and the moan that escaped the older woman was the most arousing sound that Beca had ever heard. She thrust into her roughly as the blonde's hips bucked forward to meet her, biting down on her skin of her shoulder. Her other hand came up, tearing off the blonde's blazer. She did the same to her blouse, the buttons popping off. Neither noticed. Or cared. Aubrey jerked Beca's head up, reattaching their lips in a heated kiss as the brunette pumped into her, wrapping her free arm around the blonde's waist. She was losing control. No, she had already lost all control. Still, she could not stop herself. She could not grasp logic or judgement any longer. She could only grasp brunette locks. Hey, at least was there was no nausea. Her hands shot down, burrowing beneath Beca's shirt, nails digging into the smooth skin of her shoulders and back. She pulled away from the kiss to bite down on Beca's neck, eliciting a hiss of pain followed by a grunt of approval. Beca's pace quickened, her knees knocking against the desk as she did so. Before long, Aubrey was falling fast over the edge of pleasure, her walls taking Beca's fingers in a death grip. She buried her face into the brunette's shoulder as she screamed her name. Never had it been like this. Never had someone seduced her in such a way that had her screaming, coming completely undone especially in record time. Jesse had never managed it. She had been faking orgasms for the majority of three years, but this? This wasn't fake at all. This entire situation was nothing like her situation of the last three years. It was the most fulfilling fantasy. Every emotion being stirred in this moment was real, and half of them, Aubrey had never experienced in her life.

Beca continued to thrust until she felt Aubrey relax. Then it was nothing more to be heard than heavy breathing. Beca wrapped her arms around the blonde, cradling her as she descended from her high. The moment she did however, Aubrey's mind focused, and panic set in. She jumped out of the brunette's embrace, pulling on her ruffled clothes including her ruined blouse and straightening her hair. Beca could not move.

"Beca, you need to-" she began, but Beca cut her off.

"No." Now Aubrey met her stone gaze.

"What? What do you mean no?"

"Don't push me away."

"Beca, this can't happen."

"It just did."

"I got caught up in the moment. I couldn't think. I-"

The rage returned. "Is that your excuse? Can you honestly say you don't feel anything for me."

Beca could read the inner turmoil in her eyes. "No, Beca, this can't-"

"Tell me. I know you feel it. I know that meant something."

It did. It meant everything, but this was beyond the pale, and there was no way they could continue this. This could not go on. Something had to be done. She had to end it before she was in too deep. This could only end badly, so it had to end now.

"Beca," she said in a stern tone, eyes locking on the brunette's. "This-was-a mistake. Now, please leave my office."

Beca was never one for confrontation. She was never one to stop people from leaving. People always leave, but Aubrey was the challenge. Aubrey was as stubborn as Beca was. She knew it, and Aubrey would not be the one to take initiative because she was living by someone else's rules, everyone else's rules but her own. She was more bent than Beca, and that spoke volumes. She was the one to push Beca to her breaking point. She wasn't easy like Chloe, who although could melt Beca with her puppy dog eyes, could not challenge her, could not push her to open up and be completely honest about emotions, could not force her to pursue what she so desperately vied for. She was not like any other girl that Beca had ever met, and that made this different. Aubrey was a challenge, but so was Beca, and she didn't plan to change now. Challenge accepted.

"You can try to deny it all you want," the younger said in a low tone, "but it will never last."

With that, she turned, and she exited the office. Aubrey had never been so thrown in her entire life. She just had to come to terms with the truth. Beca Mitchell was not just another crush. She was not just another student. She was not like Ashley where she could fight her feelings for awhile before they were completely washed out. There was no way that this was going to just magically evaporate over time because this much was obvious. This was more than a crush, more than an obsession, more than an infatuation. Beca Mitchell was her kryptonite. Beca Mitchell had found the hole in her defenses. Aubrey Posen had met her match, and that made Beca Mitchell the enemy.

* * *

Beca walked into her dorm room later that night, praying that Amy was already asleep though she wouldn't hold her breath. She was not ready to be confronted about the incident with her father at the moment. She had been driving around the city to clear her thoughts for several hours, and by now, she was numb to all emotions that had been plaguing her that evening. When she entered her dorm room, she was shocked by the scene that greeted her. Amy, Cynthia Rose and Stacie were surrounding a disheveled Chloe, the redhead' cheeks streaked with dried tears and her bloodshot eyes swollen, rimmed red. Beca's heart plummeted into the pit of her stomach. The four looked up at her as she shut the door.

"What happened?" she breathed.

Instantly, she had her arms full of a sobbing redhead, and she held her friend as tightly as possible as Chloe buried her face in the crook of Beca's neck. The expressions of their friends were forlorn, causing Beca to gulp audibly. She was not sure if she really wanted to know what had happened. Her immediate thought was Tom, but then, as she processed the entire scenario, that theory seemed invalid. They were in her room, so that had to mean something.

"Chlo, what happened?" Beca asked again softly.

"Your-your dad-he-" the redhead attempted, but she was unable to form the words.

Beca instantly tensed up. She grabbed the redhead's shoulders firmly, pulling her back slightly in order to look into her eyes.

"Chloe, what did he do to you?" she questioned sternly.

Chloe's eyes opened slowly, and the first thing they saw was the large red mark on Beca's face. She immediately began crying harder as she cupped the brunette's cheek, gently stroking it. Stacie was behind her then rubbing circles on her back.

"He said she was the reason you were gay," Stacie answered at last, aware that her best friend was not going to answer. "CR made him leave before he said anymore."

"Jesus, I'm so sorry, Chlo," Beca sighed, pulling Chloe back into her arms. "I'm so sorry."

"It-it's not your fault, Becs," the redhead insisted.

"It was Dr. Posen. She told him that we show-PDA in her class."

Chloe's sobs staggered now. "Wh-what?"

"Yeah, I don't know what the fuck her problem is. She-ugh, I'm sorry."

"Beca," Amy said now, stepping forward. "He hit you, didn't he?"

"Don't worry, Amy," Beca assured her. "I'll take care of it."

"He isn't gonna hurt you anymore, B," CR growled, riled up once more as they relived the events. "I swear, if he tries anything, I'll kill him myself."

Beca smiled meekly at her. "Thanks, CR. You're a good friend."

"We're bros. It's what we're for. Now, how about we order some pizza and chill out?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. Come on, Chlo. We'll go get drinks. Tell them I'll pick up the order, Amy."

Amy was on the phone with Eddy's Pizza Place, the only one in the area open at that time, in seconds ordering the usual. Cynthia Rose and Stacie searched for a movie to put on while Beca and Chloe headed out of the room to Beca's car. Chloe intertwined their fingers as they walked down the stairs and into the lot. When they reached the vehicle, Beca unlocked it and opened the door for the redhead. She first turned to the DJ before she slid inside.

"Are you okay?" Beca asked, concern etched in her face.

"Beca, just-please don't go after him," she squeaked, reaching up and stroking the brunette's bruised cheek once more. "Please don't let him get to you. He's an ignorant man, and-I don't want to see you get hurt. Just please. Let it go."

"I can't promise you that, Chloe," she replied, her voice cracking slightly. "He's my dad, but he had no right to point fingers or say anything to you."

"I'm okay if you're okay, Beca, but I can't stand to think that he would hit you again. Please. For me, just stay away from him."  
Beca eyed her a moment as those big blue eyes pleaded with her before she sighed. "Okay."

"Okay? Promise you won't go looking for trouble?"

"Yes, Chloe, for you."

Then it happened. Chloe leaned forward and pressed her lips to the brunette's. The action surprised the both of them, their eyes widening as they parted. It didn't feel wrong in the slightest, but Beca knew that it didn't feel completely right. The spark that had come when she kissed the blonde professor was missing from this contact, but it seemed that they had only been caught up in the moment. Chloe's eyes were laced with apology, but Beca only offered her a reassuring smile. That calmed Chloe's nerves, and she grinned at the brunette before sliding in the car. Somehow, Beca was now uneasy. It wasn't that her close friend had just kissed her. No, that wasn't it. What startled her was the fact that it felt nothing like kissing Aubrey. It was like a generic brand of your favorite soda or cereal. It just didn't taste complete. Beca shook it off, not willing to think about the blonde or the feelings for her at the moment. Instead, she rushed around the side of the car and brought the engine to life, praying that things would get better but not expecting too much. She was Beca Mitchell after all, and for Beca Mitchell, everything that came to be ended one way, at her expense.


	7. Ulterior Motives

**_A/N: Ah so let me break down the Bechloe moment at the end of the last chapter. I felt that it was necessary because you're right. Usually, in each fic, no matter Aubrey's involvement, when Beca and Chloe kiss, it changes everything. Chloe's been there. Everyone suspected, not just you guys but the characters as well, that it would ultimately be Chloe and Beca. It was logical, and their chemistry never fails. Prior to the kiss, it was hinted at that Beca felt as if she had her options opened. If anything happened with Chloe, she was not against. This is why she kissed Chloe AFTER she kissed Aubrey. I wanted to establish that Beca's feelings for Aubrey were real. This kiss solidified that for Beca because she still wasn't sure what she felt for Aubrey. Plus, Aubrey had just rejected her, so she felt that whatever they had was over. Still, Chloe kissing her faced her with the realization that Aubrey wasn't just some lust-fueled endeavor. Okay haha and onward we go. Thank you to everyone for having an open mind here. OH AND I PROMISE THAT THIS WILL NEVER BECOME A TRIPLE TREBLE. _**

* * *

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors?_

_Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb_

_Without a soul my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold_

_Until you find it there and lead it back home_

_Now that I know what I'm without_

_You can't just leave me_

_Breathe into me and make me real_

_Bring me to life_

_(Wake me up)_

_Wake me up inside_

_(I can't wake up)_

_Wake me up inside_

_(Save me)_

_Call my name and save me from the dark_

_(Wake me up)_

_Bid my blood to run_

_(I can't wake up)_

_Before I come undone_

_(Save me)_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Bring me to life_

_(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)_

_Bring me to life_

_Frozen inside without your touch_

_Without your love, darling_

_Only you are the life among the dead_

_All this time I can't believe I couldn't see_

_Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me_

_I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems_

_Got to open my eyes to everything_

_Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul_

_Don't let me die here_

_There must be something more_

_Bring me to life_

_(Wake me up)_

_Wake me up inside_

_(I can't wake up)_

_Wake me up inside_

_(Save me)_

_Call my name and save me from the dark_

_(Wake me up)_

_Bid my blood to run_

_(I can't wake up)_

_Before I come undone_

_(Save me)_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_(Bring me to life)_

_I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside_

_(Bring me to life)_

* * *

"Promise me you'll text me," Chloe whined as she embraced Beca.

"I promise," Beca chuckled. "Text me when you get there."

"I will, and remember what we agreed on, Beca." She gave the brunette a stern look now as they parted. "Don't go looking for trouble." Beca rolled her eyes but nodded. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. My mom's supposed to be coming, so I'll be fine." _Lie._

"Okay, good."

"Bye, Tom," Beca told the boy as he stood beside the car.

"Later, B," he replied with a grin.

"Take care of her, alright?"

"Of course."

"Okay, be careful, Chlo."

"Always," the redhead replied, planting a kiss on Beca's cheek before sliding into the car.

Immediately following their impromptu kiss, their friendship had returned to normal with playful banter and the normal behavior. They had not discussed it or looked deeper into it. It had occurred in the heat of the moment as they comforted one another, and they internally agreed on that explanation. Tom seemed to be on his game as well, treating Chloe like a princess, and Beca appreciated that. She wanted the best for her friends. Her selflessness had become second nature, and for once, her misery did not require or desire company.

In Chloe's mind, her kissing Beca had been a spur-of-the-moment sort of thing. It had been nice. It had been everything that she expected in kissing the brunette, but she cherished their friendship more than anything. Though she had set a goal to peel the layers back from the reserved and closed off DJ, she felt that her position as close friend was enough. If it ever became more one day, her mind was open to it, but currently, it was not an option. There had not been the overwhelming spark or butterflies in her stomach, and she was positive that Beca would agree. It had simply felt like what it was, kissing a close friend. She had kissed Stacie before and had derived the same results. It was nothing to fret over, and she was only relieved that it had changed nothing between the two especially knowing how much of a flight risk someone as private and mysterious as Beca could actually be. She loved the brunette dearly as a friend, and that was all it was.

Beca waved as they headed out of the lot until they disappeared around the corner then she turned to Benji. His parents had just driven up, and Kenny and Laura Applebaum jumped out of the car, Laura rushing to hug Beca. The DJ chuckled as she was embraced by the tall and slender woman. She then found herself in Kenny's warm embrace before he pulled back and tussled her hair affectionately, causing her to giggle like a child. It was just one of those things that the man had always done since they were kids. As she had grown up, these two had been more like parents to her than her own had been. It was nice to know that they still loved her regardless of where she was or who she was. They always had been the ones to celebrate her birthdays, to include her in Christmas decorating and Thanksgiving dinners, and to celebrate when she accomplished something, whatever it may have been, big or small. They had been the ones front and center at her graduation while her mom was off with her campaign and her father decided to show up the day following. He had known the date because he had called months prior, but Beca didn't dwell on it, not anymore. The Applebaums, Benji's older sister Spencer included, had watched her grow up, and they loved her endlessly.

* * *

_Kenny and Laura sat down on the couch, eyes trained on the fidgeting fifteen-year-old before them. Beca ran her hands over her thighs repeatedly, ridding her palms of the perspiration continually being produced there. She had asked that they sit with her because she had something really important to tell them. Benji sat beside her, and he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. Kenny and Laura were beginning to worry, their minds running rampant. Laura nervously darted her eyes between the teens._

_"Beca, are you-pregnant?" Laura asked._

_Beca's eyes snapped up now then she looked at Benji, and the two burst into hysterics. Kenny's eyes bulged while Laura sighed in relief. That was a good sign. At last, the two regained composure._

_"No, Mama Bear," Beca replied. "You do make it sound not so bad now though."_

_"Well, what is it, honey? You can tell us anything."_

_"Yeah, Bug, we'll love you no matter what," Kenny assured her._

_"Well, I-uh, I-well, I-Ilikegirls..." she muttered._

_"Uh, I-we couldn't exactly catch that, sweetie," Laura replied, and Beca muttered once more. "Beca."_

_The small brunette let out a hefty sigh. "I like girls. I like, like them like them."_

Silence fell over the room as Beca's eyes remained on her shoes. Benji's eyes were shut as well. The silence itself was deafening, and with each passing millisecond, Beca became more and more unhinged. Then the sound of a subtle movement resonated around the room.

"Yes!" came Kenny's booming voice then Beca found herself scooped up in a bear hug by the large man. "That's the best news I've heard all month, Babygirl. Now we can check out girls together. I've got some magazines I can pass down to you, and you really have to teach Ben some game, you know." Beca chuckled, throwing her arms around the man's neck. "Don't worry though. I'll help you get a good one. I did pretty good myself."

Now Beca, reminded that Laura had yet to respond, stiffened. She pulled away from Kenny slowly to look over at the woman. She found the tall blonde standing beside her husband with a stern look in her eyes, one that scared Beca out of her wits. She could feel her own eyes welling up with tears. If Laura rejected her, stopped loving her, cut her off, it would tear her apart. She couldn't lose another mother. It would be all too much. She flinched as the woman placed a hand on each of the younger girl's shoulders. When Beca wouldn't meet her gaze, she took the DJ's chin in her hand and guided her eyes up to her own.

_"Now you listen here, Beca Mitchell," she began. "Regardless of you being a girl as well, that is no justification for treating them any less than you would treat me. You are to respect them at all times and treat them like ladies. If you are going to love a girl, you are no exception to the morals of doing so just like the rest of the men in this house. You are to be a gentleman."_

_Beca quirked an eyebrow. "Why can't-she be the gentleman?"_

_Laura stood back now, a smirk appearing on her face. "As if you're going to let anyone dominate you in any sense of the word."_

Kenny barked a laugh at the mortified look on Beca's face as her cheeks flushed red. Benji blushed furiously as well, dropping his face into his hands. Kenny was sure that their embarrassment could be seen from space without a doubt.

_"Please tell me that was meant in...any other way!" Beca groaned._

_Laura patted her shoulder. "We're at that point, honey. Kenny, you're going to have to give her the talk."_

_"Why?" the man asked, his laughter ceasing. "It isn't like she's gonna knock someone up."_

_"STDs are not gender specific, Sweetheart."_

_"Oh, right."_

_"Oh, it's okay, Papa Bear!" Beca immediately squealed._

_"Yeah, Dad, we take sex ed," Benji chorused, unwilling to hear his dad give this talk._

_He looked over his shoulder where Laura had disappeared into the kitchen before turning back to the two teens._

_"Okay," he whispered, "but if your mother asks, we had the talk. Deal?"_

_The two answered in synchronization with vehement nods. "Deal."_

* * *

Beca would never forget the day that she came out to them. Their support had been everything to her. It still was, and she knew that they had plenty of faith in her and her dreams, whatever they may be. It had actually been Kenny that had introduced the two to the many variations of music, and he had shown Beca what a mashup was to begin with. He taught her how to write lyrics, using the pen and pad to express herself and release all pent up emotion. He had been a great father to her. She never once doubted their love for her, and it meant everything in a time when she had little support in an empty and broken home. After she had told them of her preference, she was treated no different aside from the excess teasing that she then shared with Benji, but she loved every moment of it because she knew it was all of endearment. She was glad that she had had someone to raise her in some way when she was all but forgotten by her own parents.

"How are you, baby?" Laura asked now.

"I'm okay," Beca returned with a smile, Kenny's arm still slung around her shoulder.

"Are you breaking hearts up here yet, kiddo?" Kenny asked with a wide grin.

"Not yet, Papa," she chuckled.

"You're telling me that Ben beat you to it!"

"He better not be breaking any hearts!" Laura screeched, looking at her son.

"He's been a perfect gentleman, Mama," Beca assured her. "And she's a sweet girl."

"Well hopefully we meet her soon."

"Hey, you stay tough, kid," Kenny hissed to the DJ. "Don't move too fast, you know. These college girls will eat you alive if you let them. Find yourself a smart girl though."

Beca giggled, patting his stomach and choosing not to acknowledge the unintentional innuendo. "No worries, Papa Bear. I got this. I'm keeping my options open."

"That's my girl. You better come visit soon. I have no one to watch football and talk Maxim's Hot 100 List with."

"Kendrick Owen Applebaum!" Laura snapped, and Kenny and Beca chortled.

"Sorry, honey," he sighed. "Okay, kid, we'll see you soon. Take care of yourself."

"I will."

"Love you."

"Love you too, Papa Bear. Tell Spencer I said hi."

He embraced her once more, pressing his lips to the top of her head and bending at the waist slightly to do so. She patted his back before Laura enveloped her once more.

"Be safe here, Becs," Laura said, kissing her temple. "I wish you could go with us."

"Me too, but I promised my dad this Thanksgiving."

It was hard lying to the woman, but since Beca had neglected to tell Benji about the incident with her father, she didn't want to worry them, and she definitely didn't want them to have to pay for her flight to Oregon. It was much too expensive for her to allow it.

Laura grinned. "Well, we love you, and we'll see you when we get back. Then we can talk about you two coming home for Christmas."

Beca laughed. "Okay, be safe. I love you guys too."

The three hugged her once more before they headed back to their SUV. Benji waved to her as Kenny started up the car, and she returned it with a smile. She then made her way to her own vehicle. She was to meet Stacie, Cynthia Rose and Amy for lunch before the three of them headed off on their own holiday endeavors. Amy was meeting her parents in Athens, so she wouldn't be around with Beca for the week. As if they had not been spending insatiable amounts of time with one another already, since the incident with Warren, the group had become even closer. They were almost always together in some number. If Beca wasn't at the station with Cynthia Rose, she was hanging out with Chloe or Amy in their dorms. If not that, she was with Benji fitting their bro time in between Jessica's time with the boy and Beca's time with the others. She and Stacie even had lunches here and there just the two of them, and Beca was pleased to find how much Stacie talked about CR. It was a nice routine, and usually Beca would feel suffocated by the constant amount of human contact, but she did not feel that way in the slightest. She enjoyed having company, and they were such a diverse group that it was never old or insipid. They always managed to surprise one another, and she greatly appreciated it. It at least kept her mind off of the prior Friday.

Beca pulled into the Chinese buffet to see that Cynthia Rose had just arrived as well, and she and Stacie were making their way out of Stacie's Jeep. Amy sat on the bench outside of the establishment, playing with her phone while she awaited their appearance. When she saw them, she stood up with a sigh of relief.

"It's about time you flat butts got here," she huffed. "I'm starved."

"Oh, you'll live," Beca scoffed, rolling her eyes.

They made their way inside, paying for their meals before heading straight for the food. Amy hastily covered two plates and went to find a table before fetching their drinks. Once they were all satisfied with the meals they had assembled, they settled at their table.

"You guys all packed?" Beca asked.

"Yup, the car's all loaded up," Cynthia Rose assured her. "You gon' be okay here, B?"

"Yeah, my mom's coming in, so I'll be alright."

"Just keep us in the loop."

"Yeah, Short Stack," Amy backed. "If trouble come's a calling, you better holla'. I'll be back here to unleash the kracken in no time."  
Beca chuckled at her roommate's antics. "Of course. I know you will be, Amy."

"Damn skippy. I'll make him feel the fat power."

The table chortled now. "I'm lucky to have a national champion crocodile wrestler on my team."

"Yes, you are, and don't you forget it. Athens is only a hop, skip and a jump away."

"Yeah, I know, but my dad hasn't bugged me since that day, so I'm sure it'll be fine. Nothing will happen, and I'll be in Atlanta at my mom's house. I'll probably get some more of that term paper done and some mixes too."

"You'll have to let us listen when we get back," Stacie chimed, sipping her lemonade. "CR said that they're amazing, and I wanna know. I'm curious."

"For sure. Actually, I have a CD back in my room that you guys can take."

"Yes!" CR cheered. "Thank God. No static radio all the way there."

Beca laughed. "I'm glad I can save you the trouble."

"I'm telling ya'll. B's got some mad beats. Luke needs to stop trippin' and put some of them on air. I'm about to beat some sense into the boy."

Stacie grinned. "You're so hot when you're riled up."

"Ew, please, not at the table," Amy pleaded. "There's no need for that."

"What? I can't help it. I'm easily-"

"I'm getting up. I'm getting up!"

Stacie's hand ran down CR's arm with a smirk. "Amy, it's just a-"

"Enough! Enough!"

The others laughed heavily at the mortified look on Amy's face as she screamed and made her way out of her seat, summoning a few concerned looks from other customers. Beca clapped her shoulder, pushing her back down. The brunette would never get tired of hearing their playful teasing even when she was the target. They gave her life color, and she wouldn't trade them for the world.

When they finished lunch, the group headed back to campus. Amy packed the last of her belongings into her Volkswagen, and Beca went upstairs to fetch the CD full of her mixes. She handed it over to Cynthia Rose when she returned to the parking lot, and Stacie immediately snatched it and inserted it into their CD player. She was dancing in her seat the moment the first song came on, and Beca chuckled. Cynthia Rose clapped a hand on her shoulder, steering her a little ways off from the other two.

"B, you're positively sure that you'll be okay here?" she asked again, sheer concern in her eyes. "Mama Dean would love to meet you too. We could leave a little late if you wanna come."

Beca smiled at the sincerity in the offer, gripping Cynthia's shoulder in turn. "I promise I'll be okay, C. I'll update you guys constantly, but I'll be fine. I won't even have to see the guy, but I want you to know how much I appreciate you guys caring so much."

"Like I said, B. We're bros. We made that pact from the moment we met, and I'm not turning back on that."

"Neither am I, but really. Thanks, CR. It means a lot, but I'll be okay. Text me when you guys get there though, alright? Don't keep me up all night worrying."

Cynthia Rose chortled as she embraced the DJ. "I won't. No worries."

"And no quickies on the way. That shit's dangerous."

"Can't promise nothing."

"At least attempt to. Jesus, after that fourth date, you guys got busy and never looked back."

"Well, damn, have you seen that girl?"

"No comment."

Cynthia Rose ruffled her hair playfully as she barked a laugh. They returned to the car, and Stacie stood up to hug Beca. She wrapped her arms tightly around her shoulders.

"Be safe, B," she whispered softly.

"I will," Beca returned.

"We love you."

"Love you guys too. Be careful. I already told CR no quickies on the way there."

Stacie giggled. "I can't-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. No promises, but make a real attempt."

"Got it."

As Stacie slid back into the car, Amy came around, picking Beca up in a crushing bear hug before digging her knuckles into the crown of the DJ's head and rubbing them furiously.

"I'll miss ya, Short Stack," the Aussie expressed with a smile.

"It's only a week, Amy," Beca snorted, "But-I'll miss you too."

"That's what I thought. Remember what I said."

"I will. You know the drill. Alert me when you arrive at your destination."

"Okay, but enough with the big words. We're taking a break from all that."

The brunette laughed, patting Amy's shoulder. "Okay, my apologies."

"Yup, definitely time to go. You gotta get off this campus, B."

"I will."

Amy gave her one last hug before heading back to her vehicle. Both she and CR pulled out at the same time, waving to Beca as they exited the parking lot. Once they disappeared from view, Beca sighed in content and headed back up to her room. She immediately became engrossed in a new mix, feeling some inspiration from her friends. She had one last shift at the radio station that night before the break kicked in, and she hoped that since it would only be her and Luke, he would give her something else to do apart from stacking CDs. She had another flash drive loaded up for him, and she planned to hand it over upon arrival. When three o'clock came around, she saved the current mix in progress and closed the lid of her laptop. Pulling on her coat and grabbing her keys, she headed off to the radio station. Luke greeted her when she entered.

"Hey, B."

"Hey, Luke," she returned with a smile. "So I have some new mixes in case you wanted to play anything."

Hey took the flash drive from her hand with a smile. "Alright, thanks. I'll be sure to get around to it this break."

"Okay, great."

Sadly, her shift did in fact consist of stacking CDs and records. The upside of it was that she had time to be alone with her thoughts. It wasn't the greatest thing in the world, but she made the best of it. She wondered if she would get through in the event that she attempted to call her mother. She despised being treated like a client, talking to the snotty, uptight assistants of Senator Abram. Shaking that thought off, she moved to what exactly she was going to do for Thanksgiving. Most restaurants would be closed, and Beca Mitchell was no cooking extraordinaire. She had yet to properly boil eggs, or water for that matter. She considered just getting something the day before and setting it in Amy's mini-fridge because of course the blonde would have one. She even had a permanent ice chest in her car, and Beca had had a good laugh about it. Damn, she missed the quirky blonde already.

Once her shift ended, Beca headed back to her dorm. Before she reached it however, her phone buzzed. She huffed a breath when she saw her dad's name in her inbox. Taking a deep breath, she opened the message.

_"Please come to my office immediately."_

Beca stared at the message for a moment. She was going to text back and tell him that she had already left with Chloe as per her promise to the redhead about not getting into trouble, but she decided that if she didn't go, he would be calling her for the rest of the break. Plus, she had promised Chloe shouldn't _look_ for trouble. She never promised to ignore it if it came calling, or in this case, texting. At least she would be able to hurry him by saying they were leaving soon. She turned away from Baker Hall then and headed for the English building at the slowest pace possible. The campus was already practically deserted, and the silence was new. When she arrived in front of the building, Dr. Mitchell was standing outside of it, obviously impatient and making sure she didn't bypass the building if she was out. She stopped abruptly in front of him. He led her around to an alcove on the side of the structure without a word.

"Yeah," she sighed, not meeting his eyes.

"When are you leaving?" he asked sternly.

"In about twenty minutes, so what did you need?"

"I need to just tell you now that you will not be smearing your shit all over my name in this university. Do you understand me?"

Beca was tired of the bullshit at this point. She had been counting down the hours until break since that eventful Friday, and she was at her wit's end with everything. She looked up now, meeting his fiery gaze with one of her own.

"Fuck-you, Warren," she growled. "You brought me here. You deal with it, but you stay the hell away from Chloe, from all of my friends. Don't you ever disrespect her again because it will be the last thing that you ever do, you fuckin' coward."

"You watch your mouth, Beca. I won't-"

"What? Won't deal with a gay daughter? You never did. Why start now?"

"Shut up!"

His hand once again cracked across her jaw, knocking her back against the wall. Still, she would not be deterred. She stepped forward once more, shoving him backwards.

"What?" She yelled now, tears beginning to stream down her face. "IM GAY, DAD! DR. MITCHELL'S DAUGHTER IS FUCKING GAY!"

Dr. Mitchell had lost all of his sanity and rationality at this point. He completely forgot where they were it seemed. He automatically cocked his hand back, poised to strike again but with a fist this time, and she flinched only slightly before taking the first swing. It caught him square in the chin, and he stumbled back. Before Beca could make an escape however, his hands were around her throat, shoving her roughly into the wall so that her head bounced off of the concrete. When she threw a fist into his stomach, he slammed his forearm into her face mercilessly. As Beca's air supply ran thin, a voice called out.

"Dr. Mitchell!" it screeched, and both Mitchells' necks snapped towards the source of the sound.

They were both equally surprised to find none other than Dr. Posen standing there, hands on her hips with a disbelieving look on her face that soon transformed into anger behind those thick glasses. Beca didn't know if she should be relieved or even more maddened with the situation. Aubrey immediately made her way over to the two as Dr. Mitchell's hands went limp.

"Dr. Posen," Warren began. "I didn't-"

"Step away from her," she snapped, and he took a step back as she planted herself between them, facing the man. "I think it's best you go now, Warren, unless you want the dean involved."

"Dr. Posen, this is my daughter, and-"

"I don't think the board will care when they find that a staff member struck an enrolled student. On campus."

He opened his mouth to respond, but the ice in her glare stopped him. He turned then and hurried off, muttering incoherent words under his breath. Aubrey watched him leave before turning to Beca, who was leaning back against the wall expelling a heavy breath. Aubrey reached up to get a look at the brunette's cheek, but Beca slapped her hand away.

"Don't fuckin' touch me," she growled, malice filling her eyes.

"Beca, let me see your-"

"Leave me alone!"

"Let me see it!"

The shrill roar Aubrey now used was enough to still Beca and shut down any further debate. Beca blanched slightly as Aubrey's cold hand took hold of her chin, turning her head slightly for a better look at the large, red mark on her face. The first bruise had only just healed a few days ago, and this time, Warren's nails had scraped the skin in addition to the secondary blow from his forearm further bruising it. Aubrey was taken aback by the vicious nature of the man making its presence known, and seeing Beca being the target of it, despite her disposition and rebellious character, made the blonde's blood boil.

"Come on," she prompted, releasing the brunette's face.

Beca's eyes snapped up to look at her. "Where are we-"

"Come on."

Beca found herself eying Aubrey's desk warily as the blonde applied antibacterial ointment to her face. She hissed in pain when the pad came in contact with her skin, but Aubrey held her in place with a hand firmly gripping her chin once more. Once she finished cleaning the wound, she found herself entranced by those stormy blue eyes as they bore into hers.

"Does this-happen a lot?" she asked timidly.

"Just this last week," Beca muttered, breaking the eye contact now. "He hasn't been around much before that, and all of a sudden me being gay makes him a parent, so..."

"Beca, I'm so-"

"Don't. Just don't, okay?"

Aubrey decided that she could tweak the truth just enough to make sense. "Listen to me. He assumed. He took what he wanted from my words. He asked if Chloe was in the class, if you were close because you were going on holiday with her. I told him you two seemed really close, and you always sat together in my class. That Miss Beale is a very nice girl, and she's always with you. He interpreted that in his own way, and I'm very sorry for that."

The brunette's eyes softened before she released a small laugh. "I just-I-I shouldn't be surprised. He thinks that this-education he's giving me free of charge serves as some sort of compensation for-"

She snapped her mouth shut instantly, feeling that she had said too much. Before she could think, Aubrey had cupped the brunette's face, bringing her eyes up to meet the blonde's.

"Beca, talk to me," she pleaded softly. "I-I want to help you."

Beca shook her head with a bitter chuckle. "No, you don't. You wanted me gone, remember?"

"Beca, that's different. I-"

"We can't do this, remember? If we keep at it, you're going to have to constantly regulate yourself. You're going to have to control yourself, and it's going to be a game of back and forth. One minute, you'll want me here. The next minute, you'll be avoiding me. I know how it works."

"So you've had a teacher fall for you before?"

It was Aubrey's turn to clench her jaw, retracting her hands from Beca's face as her own flushed red, processing what she had just confessed. She had only been trying to lighten the mood, to still the nerves of both of them, but her mind was no longer synchronized with her mouth it seemed. Beca cast her gaze downward.

"No, I guess this is the first time," Beca said now, and she looked up with the makings of a smirk on her lips.

"Beca, I didn't-" Aubrey frantically began, but Beca interjected.

"It's fine. I understand. People leave. That's what happens. This is my fault. I was stupid to pursue this, and well, I have to deal with that. Thank you, Dr. Posen."

She stood to leave now, and Aubrey's mind was overloading. She had no idea what to say, so she acted. As Beca turned away, she grabbed her wrist and jerked her back into her arms. Then she pressed her lips firmly to the brunette's in a soft but firm kiss. The fire ignited in the pit of her stomach instantly as that familiar electricity pulsed through her veins. When they parted for air, their eyes locked.

"I can't promise you anything," Aubrey breathed.

"That's your problem," Beca replied. "Stop trying to see the future. Just go with it. We'll be falling, but that's okay. I'll be right there."

Aubrey smiled at the recitation. "This is dangerous."

"That's the beauty of it. No one has to know."

The blonde stepped back slightly. "Aren't you supposed to be leaving soon?"

"No, I only told Warren that so he didn't expect me for Thanksgiving dinner." They were quiet a moment. "You wanna get out of here?"

"Beca, we can't just leave campus together."

"I'll meet you somewhere."

Aubrey pondered it a moment. She wanted this. More than anything, she wanted this. There lay the issue however. She lost all control around the brunette, and this was to be alarming. She was supposed to be freaking out, but she could not harness any irrational thoughts in the presence of Beca Mitchell. She could not grasp her reality. She was no longer herself anymore, but what she wanted was to be in Beca's world. Never had she felt so alive. She desired that connection, one she had never felt with Jesse or anyone else for that matter. She could escape that perfect little box she had been locked in by Thomas C. Posen since she was a child, and nothing had ever felt so right although it was so wrong. She was faced with the option to do the one thing she had sworn off of for a lifetime, the one thing that she had never dare do. She had the choice to follow her heart, but how could she? Posens didn't follow their hearts. In Thomas Posen's mind, Posens didn't have hearts at all. No, she had to remember who she was. She could not do this. She could not allow this to happen. She was a fool for bringing Beca back to her office. This was all she could ever be. She could be a concerned professor and a motherly figure. She could be a confidante, but there could be nothing more. She turned back to an excited Beca with a grimace and a shake of the head. The brunette instantly deflated as Aubrey spoke.

"I think it's best you leave now, Beca."


	8. The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants

**_A/N: Sorry this took longer than it should have. My internet down. Apparently my kid found it cool to unplug the router, but anyway, we're good now. So here we go. So to clear it up, yes. It isn't illegal for them to date, but it is a strict policy in college that students cant date professors of course so the conflict wont be where like the FBI or anyone is involved. Aubrey's job is at stake, but that's her biggest worry. Just to clear that up. _**

* * *

_Just a little taste won't hurt at all_

_But once I get a sip, I know I'm gonna wanna drink it gone, all gone_

_90 proof is an understatement_

_I get around you and I'm way past wasted_

_I can't think at all_

_Girl, you got a smile like a devil on my shoulder_

_Tempting me sayin', honey come over right now, right now_

_I know I shouldn't wanna, but I think I'm probably gonna_

_Even though I know I'm gonna be wakin' up hurtin' in the morning_

_Shoulda come with a warning_

_I'm addicted girl, I'm hangin' on_

_I'm a fool in love, I'm long past gone_

_Yeah, so, come on_

_Your mama should've named you whiskey_

_I never should've let you kiss me_

_Oh, and every time you leave it hits me_

_Oh baby, your mama should've named you whiskey_

* * *

Aubrey had initially decided on her home, but she didn't want any surprises, and that was much too risky. She had then seriously considered a hotel room in Atlanta, but that felt wrong on so many levels. It took Beca a bit of ranting and perseverance, but she at last persuaded the blonde into meeting her at her mother's house. The senator was currently up in Washington for a fundraiser, and she would be up there until December if not later. Beca had checked. Besides, the woman had multiple houses. This was just Beca's childhood home, and it was in northern Atlanta, an hour from Barden. Beca had picked up takeout on the way, and she had the garage opened for Aubrey to pull into. When the blonde at last arrived, Beca was giddy with excitement though she, as always, concealed it well. She opened the door from the garage that led into the kitchen, closing the larger door with a push of the button. Aubrey stepped inside, shuddering slightly from the cold draft in the garage. The DJ took a moment to take her in. Her hair was down again, just the way Beca liked it. The long blonde curls cascaded down her shoulders, perfectly framing her face. Those brilliant emerald orbs glistened with passion behind her black-rimmed glasses. She was dressed comfortably in a simple, red low-cut v-neck and blue jeans that accentuated her curves. When the shorter woman recovered from her beauty, Beca led her into the living room to find candles lit on the coffee table and the Chinese takeout transported to plates. There was also a bottle of wine at the center of the table, three actually. The blonde could not help but smile genuinely, the first in a long time and one that only Beca could unveil.

"Make fun of my inability to cook, and we will have our first _real _fight," Beca warned.

Aubrey put her hands up in mock surrender. "I wouldn't dream of it." She turned to the brunette now. "This is really sweet, Beca."

"I've-well, I've never really been on a real date before, so-I did a lot of improvisation."

"It's perfect."

"Are you-comfortable?"

Aubrey's breath caught. No one had ever voiced so much concern for her well-being or her opinion aside from Ashley. Not Jesse, not her parents, and then there was Beca. Her walls came down at that moment, even if just for that moment. They lay completely down around her, and she threw her arms around the brunette's neck, nuzzling her nose into it as well. Beca quickly wrapped her own arm's around the blonde's waist. It was a moment both had pictured for much too long, a time when they didn't have to be paranoid and afraid, a time where they could openly indulge in the presence of one another. Aubrey pulled back slightly, and their lips met. This kiss was slow and deliberate, but it meant everything to them. That spark remained, and it all felt right as if the stars had aligned and all was in its rightful place. The blonde had been reluctant to give into the temptation, to meet up with Beca outside of the campus, but her heart had overrun any other thought process. She could not walk away from the offer. When she had originally said no, Beca had refused to give in, and Aubrey could not stay away. She wanted that feeling of being alive, of being herself and not Thomas C. Posen's puppet, not Jesse Swanson's programmed trophy lover. Aubrey could let her hair down and relax because tonight, she was Beca's and only Beca's.

"I've never been more comfortable," the blonde breathed as they parted.

"Wow, I think I like this side of you," Beca smirked, carefully removing the taller woman's glasses and placing them down on the table as Aubrey smiled.

"Don't get used to it. Once I get really comfortable, you're in for it."

"I'll do my best to make this awkward then."

Half an hour into the meal and a bottle of wine later, nerves were unperturbed and conversation was light. Aubrey had not laughed this much in ages, and it felt nice, a positive change from puking or screaming. She loved seeing this side of Beca as well. Behind the badass persona and overbearing eyeliner, the brunette was sweet and compassionate, a hopeless romantic in so many ways as well. The snark was occasional but good-natured and without the sole purpose of antagonizing the blonde. Aubrey allowed herself to believe that this aspect of Beca's multi-faceted personality was reserved only for her and no one else. Beca didn't give her reason to believe otherwise, and she was at the verge of swooning each time the brunette did or said anything. It felt like middle school all over again with the exception of the fathomless chemistry between them. Aubrey was completely enamored of the brunette, and the loss of control no longer brought on nauseous nerves, only unadulterated enchantment.

"So, music then?" the blonde asked.

"Yeah, DJ," Beca replied, her head resting in Aubrey's lap as they settled on the couch, the blonde running her fingers through brunette locks.

"I mix and mash up songs."

"And you obviously sing." Beca's cheeks flushed red now. "It was beautiful, Beca."

"I wasn't sure if you caught that."

"How could I not? Hearing that voice again was a godsend. Third time's the charm, so maybe that's when I fell for it."

"Yeah." Then Beca paused. "Wait, third time? That was only the second time. Wasn't it?" It was Aubrey's turn to blush now as she bit her lip. "Aubrey?"

"I-well, remember when you ran into me at the gym?"

"Yeah, when-oh my God, you were in there." Her expression morphed into bewilderment before she settled on a smirk. "You _were_ jealous, weren't you?"

Aubrey didn't hesitate to grab a pillow and smack her in the face with it as she chortled. "I was-I am not jealous of that girl, Beca. I'm the one here, right?"

"Right, but she's on vacation." The pillow made a second descent on her face as she giggled. "Totally kidding. If it's any consolation, and I hope it is since I'm gonna be honest, she kissed me, the night my dad-came by. My dad yelled at her, and when I got back from your office, she-well, yeah, but I didn't feel anything. It was like, there was something missing. Something I only feel with you, Aubrey."

Beca chanced a glance up to find those bright emerald eyes on her thoughtfully. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Well, then yes. That's definitely consoling."

"Wow though. I-I don't think I would've minded had it been you invading my shower."

The pillow came down on her chuckling face once more. "Hush."

Beca sat up abruptly now, grabbing a pillow of her own and swinging it at the blonde. It caught her in the shoulder just as her pillow hit the side of Beca's head again. Beca toppled off of the couch as Aubrey burst into laughter. Beca couldn't even feign anger because that laugh was music to her ears. She grinned in content before climbing back onto the couch. As Aubrey calmed down, Beca pressed a kiss to her cheek then her jawline then her neck softly. Aubrey was hanging on by a thread to her control, and there was something that she needed to tend to before they went any further.

"Beca," she said softly, taking the brunette's hand.

"Yeah?" Beca answered between kisses to her neck.

"What happened? With your dad? I mean, why don't you get along?"

The kisses ceased abruptly, and Aubrey quickly pulled Beca into her side to keep her from backing away, to keep her calm. The brunette gnawed on her bottom lip a moment, contemplating her options. She trusted Aubrey, and something told her that the blonde had a few skeletons of her own. If Beca could open up, maybe she could as well.

"He, uh, he walked out on my mom and I when I was like nine," she began slowly. "Uh, well, I mean, I understand him leaving my mom. She was never around. She was busy being a Georgia senator, you know. There was no time to be a mother or a wife, but-that day, he walked out on me too. He has another daughter now and another wife now. I've never met either of them. I've only been over a few times, and they were always gone because he was trying to ease me in. I think it was more for their benefit than mine. Anyway, he-he never called or anything like that. The first time I talked to him since was about two months before I graduated, and the first time I saw him after he left was the day _after _my high school graduation." She let out a begrudging laugh, and Aubrey's heart broke. "I mean, he couldn't even go to the ceremony even though I gave him a date on that first call, but whatever. He came with all of these plans to bring me to Barden and get me a degree when I was dead set on moving to LA and starting my music career. Then my mom pushed me, but it was Laura and Kenny that really convinced me to come, to try it out. Now, we're here."

"So he wasn't around much then," Aubrey concluded.

"No. Before he left, he was always there with me when my mom wasn't. He read to me and taught me a bunch of stuff, and then, one day, he was-just gone. He kissed me good night that night, telling me we would go for breakfast-" Beca took a deep breath so as to not allow her voice to crack, and Aubrey smoothed her hair back comfortingly. "Uh, yeah, so he left, but it was okay because I had the Applebaums. Benji and Laura and Kenny and Spencer."

"So you and Benji grew up together?"

"Yeah, his parents live next door. They left to Oregon earlier today though."

"Well, at least I understand you a bit better now."

"Well, what about you?"

The brunette could feel the blonde's body go completely rigid, and she pulled back to look in her eyes. Aubrey would not meet her gaze however, and Beca wasn't sure if she was going to be sick. She created a bit of space between them but took Aubrey's hand in hers. The blonde should have known that she was playing with a double-edged sword, and Beca was no mere child. In this dimension, they were on the same level. She knew that Beca was aware that she had demons in her life she couldn't readily face. Jesse was a prime example because the brunette had already shared her observation on their relationship. Still, Aubrey was caught off guard, and she wasn't ready to give away that piece of herself no matter how deeply she felt for the brunette.

"Aubrey?" Beca called softly.

"No, I'm fine," she replied breathlessly.

"Do-you-is your father-"

"NO!"

Beca reflexively flinched at the shrill tone of Aubrey's voice before regaining composure. "Bree, it's okay. I just-"

"Stop, Beca! Just stop!"

Now Beca was beginning to grow furious. "Excuse me? You can get inside my head and get me to open up, but there are double standards for you?"

"Beca, it's different. It-"

"No, it isn't, Aubrey! It's obviously effecting you the same way my shit effects me!"

"No, it's not-"

"Okay. So do you love Mr. Swanson then?"

"That's none of your business."

"Neither was my friendship with Chloe or my relationship with my dad, but still-"

"It is not the same, Beca. Can you-"

"Goddammit, Aubrey, just tell me!"

"I can't do that!"

Neither realized that they were now on their feet. "Why the hell not?!"

"Because I'm your professor!"

Beca scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. "There it is! The first shot goes off. I told you this would happen! I told you, and I tried to leave, and-dammit. Just go then, Aubrey. Go now! Leave! Leave this house like everyone else did! Get it over with! What the fuck."

"Beca, can you-"

"Just stop! I open up to you, and for what?"

"I was just trying to help!"

"SO AM I!"

Silence fell now save for the labored breathing of the pair, and Beca's eyes threatened to spill over. She turned around, making her way out of the room and into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter running a hand through her hair, mind racing at a million miles a minute as it battled to berate itself amongst the many other thoughts. She had expected as much. She then heard the sound of keys jingling, and Aubrey appeared in the kitchen with her jacket on and her purse and keys in hand. The smirk that graced Beca's features was unlike her traditional trademark. It was acidic.

"Go ahead, Dr. Posen," she chimed. "Run away."

"I can't do this, Beca," the blonde growled, coming to a halt before Beca though still facing the door.

"Can't what, Aubrey?"

"I can't do this with you."

"Huh. And here I thought you were uptight and made of steel. Yet, you're really just a coward."

Aubrey turned on her. "Don't you do that, Mitchell! Don't try to do that whole reverse psychology on me!"

"Because you're the queen of mind fucking, right?"

Aubrey stomped her foot childishly now. "I have never met someone so-infuriating!"

"No, you've never met someone to call you on your bullshit, Posen! You're afraid of me."

Aubrey chuckled in spite now. "You have got to be-"

"Stop trying to fuckin' overpower me when you know that you can't! You can try to hide behind the age difference and the student-teacher relationship, but you're here for a reason! _You _stopped _me _from walking out, remember? You're here, and you're here with me, and you're taking that risk because you aren't happy where you were. You're settling with that goofy fuckin' music teacher and you know it. I see it in your eyes every time I see you with him. You're miserable, but you're scared to upset whoever it is that put you in this situation, so you settle. You stay. In the end, you're afraid because this is real. This is a challenge, and you have never had a challenge before! You're out of that prim and proper little box you've been in all of your life, and you're fuckin' scared to think for yourself because you don't know how! You never had to! Everything was handed to you! You have all these presets and this pre-programming, and you're nothing but a puppet. You hide behind that intimidating glare and that perfect little mask, but there's so much more underneath it that you're terrified to face. I thought that you of all people would like a challenge, but you're too thick-headed to admit to me, to yourself! You don't wanna go for it because you're scared that I'll prove to be right, and that little perfect bubble that you built around yourself will explode when the truth starts to fight its way out. You're not afraid of being right. You're afraid of _them_ being wrong because that would mean that you were following that bread crumb trail for no reason all along."

"Beca, you don't-"

"Tell me I'm wrong, Aubrey. Look me in my eye and put it on everything you hold so dear to you that I'm wrong, and I'll drop it." Aubrey's eyes dropped to her feet now. "That's what the fuck I-"

The remainder of Beca's thought was cut off by Aubrey's lips colliding with hers, teeth clashing together as the blonde smothered her. Beca instinctively wrapped her arms around her waist, holding her as close as possible. Purse and keys clattered to the floor as Beca reached down, gripping the back of Aubrey's thighs and hoisting her up. Aubrey was shocked by both the sudden movement and Beca's strength on display. Soon, she was being carried up the stairs and down a dark hallway before a door was pushed open. Then she was laid on a bed while Beca pulled at her clothes. Aubrey interacted with the undress this time around, peeling Beca's plaid button-up off of her before doing the same with her tanktop. She took in the brunette's toned abs and chiseled biceps as Beca worked on her jacket once more. Jeans, blouse, bras, underwear all discarded in a matter of seconds, and when their skin pressed against each other, the electric shock was felt once more but in greater intensity. The moans, the gasps, the groans, the grunts. It was a song playing around them as they explored one another's body. The anger and fury had fueled it, but the passion broke through soon enough. There was no rush tonight. Time slowed down as hungry kisses became tender, groping became caressing, and the act itself became a declaration of love. The connection between them was undeniable, and in the sanctuary of their own private place, the seams became undone. Walls were torn down, hearts exposed to that which could either heal them or destroy them. The discovery of what lie beneath the skin engrossed them as the night progressed into dawn. The text messages from Chloe were unanswered alongside the calls from Jesse. In this room, it was only Beca and Aubrey and months worth of pent up emotion.

* * *

And so it went. Thanksgiving break consisted of plenty of arguments and an equal ratio of passionate yet carnal sex in the confines of Senator Abram's home. They sent texts to whoever tried to reach them just so that no one suspected anything, but they were safe. Nothing could harm them here in one another's embrace. Meals were made, television shows were watched because neither liked movies, and dangerous amounts of cuddling were involved. It was the most domestic either had ever been. They shared likes and dislikes, had debates on the most ridiculous subjects, and Aubrey fell in love with Beca's mixes. She was even able to coerce the younger girl to sing to her at times, and she had never been so content. Then Beca unveiled another one of Aubrey's secrets. The blonde could sing as well, but with many others, she had lost the passion for it a long time ago. Each time Aubrey heard that sweet, billowy voice however, she fell in love all over again, and the fervor she once held for music was restored.

It was easy to Beca. She was only riding the wave, letting the current take them where it would. In Aubrey's mind, there was much to be considered and mapped out. Once classes resumed and everyone returned from break, schedules would have to be made. Guidelines would have to be put in place. Discretion would be enforced. For the time being however, she allowed herself to relax. She told Jesse that she was with Ashley's family for Thanksgiving, and he didn't question it. Beca told Chloe that she had gone up to Washington with her mother after all, and the redhead too believed it. Aubrey and Beca had set out their own Thanksgiving meal however, and it was the most enjoyable holiday either of them had ever had. All was fine for now, and Beca was not ready to leave their place of peace. They became closer as the hours passed, more aspects of their bond exhibited as little quirks were divulged slowly but surely. Beca was as patient as she could possibly be, and she shamelessly allowed Aubrey in. It was terrifying but liberating all at once, and she was glad that it was Aubrey that took that ride with her.

As Friday night descended, Beca held Aubrey in her arms. They lay in bed after yet another round of releasing frustrations. Beca had once again pried for information from the blonde to no avail, but she had been passionate about the reasoning. Still, it had wound up with them tearing one another's clothes off, and now, peace was restored. The brunette ran her fingers through blonde locks thoughtlessly, eyes closed as Aubrey drew random patters on her bare stomach. As Beca did so, Aubrey's mind reeled with her usual over thinking. She trusted Beca. She was obviously falling hard for Beca. The brunette had opened up to Aubrey more than she had ever done in her entire life. The only ones that knew more about Beca were the Applebaums for obvious reasons. Aubrey couldn't help but feel victorious when Beca informed her that not even Chloe knew all of this information about her upbringing or her parents. The brunette had shared various anecdotes and more tragic stories in an attempt to loosen Aubrey up, but the blonde's defenses were much more enforced, her walls much higher and thicker than the brunette's. That was alarming to Beca because she had never thought that anyone could be as closed off as she was. Yet, she had accepted the challenge, and Beca Mitchell was anything but a quitter when it came to something that she truly cared about. Aubrey was one that she definitely cared about, and she steadily proved this to the blonde. With that in mind, Aubrey began to talk, unsure if Beca was awake or not but not caring either way. She wanted to get it all off of her chest, and she was at last convinced that Beca was truly concerned.

"My father said that success is the only thing you should ever fall in love with," Aubrey breathed into the silence as she curled further into Beca's side. "He drilled me from the time I was seven about perfection, about perseverance and knowledge of the world. I graduated high school when I was fifteen. I had my doctorate's at twenty-one. I never had a childhood. Thomas Clifford Posen needed to breed the best in show, and I was his only chance, but that's all I was to be. Another accomplishment. My mother was there, but she never interfered with his blueprint then she just started staying out of the way completely, always traveling or out with friends. He always said 'if you're not here to win, get the hell out of Nam'. His father was a military man. My father was in the service for six years before he came back to further his education at Barden. He became dean of law, and my path started long before I was born. I never had a say. He had only ever approved of Jesse. That was the type of man good enough for his daughter, a man with ambition and education and persistence. He didn't understand that though the man was older than me, Jesse was just a child on the inside. He is always trying to change me, to give me this complete makeover like all of the girls in his silly movies that I will never understand because none of it is logical."

"Hence my hatred for movies," was Beca's very awake reply, and Aubrey giggled before silence fell for a pause.

"I tried to love him. I did, but I had no control over anything much less my emotions though I convinced myself that I was in control of everything. Still, I could not handle seeing my father disappointed. The only one that understood me was my friend Ashley. We roomed together freshman year, and she's been my only friend since. She knew about my father, and she helped me through it, but still. Seeing him disappointed is a deadly blow. I brought home a B once in grade school, and he scolded me for hours. It was like the end of the world. I never got a B again, and from then on, I was at the top of everything. I spent my free time learning. I never had a chance to-find happiness because happiness only came in the form that my father wished it to. His happiness did anyway, and that was all that mattered."

"He's missing out. You're amazing, Bree. Beneath the rough edges and means of intimidation, there's just this scared young woman trying to escape, and she's beautiful inside and out. She needs to be released. I can only imagine how much more amazing you can be once you break those chains. You can't let him run your life forever."

"I wouldn't know where to begin if I decided to mold my life in my image."

Beca knew that Aubrey was reading much too deeply into the idea, so she decided to simplify it. If she could dig into her state of mind, it would be much easier to help the woman that she was quickly falling for. She shifted, wrapping a protective arm around her waist and stroking her hip.

"Would you be a professor if you had a say?" she asked, and Aubrey pondered the question a moment before Beca felt her head shake. "What would you be?"

"I-I don't know. I-I guess that I would just find something that interested me. I-I used to paint, sing, take photographs, things like that. I would take pictures of the few times my dad smiled, when he was my daddy and not my father because-"

"Because pictures never change even when the people in them do."

Aubrey's eyes widened. "Yeah. How did you-"

"It's a philosophy. I still have a bunch of pictures from when I was little, maybe four or five. My parents actually smiled, at each other, at me. It was before Mom was Senator Abram. It was when we were a family."

"I wish it was that simple again."

"Aubrey, it can be simple, for us, but you choose to let it be."

"Look at us, Beca. We've been molded by the challenges we faced early on, in a time when our minds were still clay that could be shaped in such a way."

"We're not all that different."

"We just handled our daddy issues in different ways."

"Still, we understand each other, and it's never too late to change no matter how long we've been trying to fit this mold. We obviously don't, not comfortably, and we have a choice."

"I just-ugh, I never thought this would happen. I don't know how this can happen. I-"

"Think this. If you walked away right now or even earlier, would you be content? Would you be able to go back to your normal life and put that fake smile back on? Okay, not really because you never smile." Aubrey's hand smacked her stomach as she chuckled. "Really though. Could you? Could you be okay with walking away? Could you look back in the end and say that you're happy with the choice that you made right now?"

"I don't-"

"Don't say you don't know because you do know."

"I-No, but how can-this ever work?"

"I don't know, but-you have to learn to live in the moment. Life doesn't need a blueprint. If it followed plans, we wouldn't be here right now. Besides, this all happened for a reason, and if it's as real as it feels, it will work out. Worrying is a form of counter production."

Aubrey chuckled softly. "Why must you be so smart?"

Beca smirked. "Face it, Posen. The child genius has met her match."

"I want to be happy about it, but-"

"Stop thinking so much. Stop trying to have the last word. Just enjoy the moment. It's moments like this that you're going to remember in the end, not how far your stapler is from your day planner."

Once again, Aubrey's eyes bulged. "How did you-"

"Lucky guess, but you just confirmed it." Aubrey smacked her stomach once more. "Ouch, woman. I never said your OCD was an issue. I was just making a point."

"Of course, in traditional Beca Mitchell fashion. With snark."

"Isn't that why you fell for me?"

"I guess so. Who knew I'd fall for the most infuriating pain in the ass I've ever encountered?"

"I don't know. Probably no one, but that's the beauty of it."

"Beca, we-we do have to be careful. I don't know how this can end, but-I do wanna try. I do wanna be with you. I-"

"Look, whatever it is you need to do, I'm with you. I know where your heart is. It's up to you to accept that. Just know that after this year, I'm out of school."

"What do you mean?"

"Like I said, I was supposed to leave to LA, but maybe I can wait. Still though, if I'm not enrolled at Barden, there isn't much anyone can do, is there?"

"But, Beca, it's much bigger that. It's my father, and it's-"

Beca was not about to argue again. "Hey, we'll cross the bridge when we get there. Let's just get through this semester."

Aubrey nodded before nuzzling her nose into Beca's neck. Silence enveloped them once more before the blonde spoke into the brunette' skin.

"You do realize this still doesn't guarantee you an A in my class, right?"

"Damn it! So I did all this for nothing?"

Aubrey's eyes snapped up to find a wide grin on Beca's face. She slapped the girl's arm as giggles filled the room. Beca suddenly rolled over on top of the blonde, pinning her to the bed.

"You really gotta loosen up, Posen," she rasped, lightly nipping the blonde's neck. "You're too easy."

"You do just as much harm as you do good in that category," Aubrey returned breathlessly, their proximity causing her mind to blur.

"We'll get there. Together. Or I'll just drag you there, but it's up to you."

And Aubrey allowed Beca to have the last words because she had in fact met her match. It was in that moment that she admitted it to herself. Aubrey Posen had fallen hopelessly and irrevocably in love with Beca Mitchell.


	9. To Gain Control, You Have to Lose Some

**_A/N: Here we go! It took a moment with this one. I'm pretty proud of the song Beca used here because Ive been listening to it on repeat for like three days. Okay so thank you to all for the reviews! Im glad that everyone is happy. Makes me happy. woke up to all of the reviews this morning so im updated this first thing. So yes they took a big step in their relationship. This chapter is a lot of fluff. Actually, the next like four chapters is really a lot of fluff, but things are discussed as well. I just want them to get comfortable with one another in order to prepare for the following. Okay so here we go!_**

* * *

_Took a deep breath in the mirror_

_He didn't like it when I wore high heels_

_But I do_

_Turn the lock and put my headphones on_

_He always said he didn't get this song_

_But I do, I do_

_Walked in expecting you'd be late_

_But you got here early and you stand and wave_

_I walk to you_

_You pull my chair out and help me in_

_And you don't know how nice that is_

_But I do_

_You said you never met one girl_

_Who had as many James Taylor records as you_

_But I do_

_We tell stories and you don't know why_

_I'm coming off a little shy_

_But I do_

_And we walked down the block to my car and I almost brought him up_

_But you start to talk about the movies that your family watches_

_Every single Christmas and I want to talk about that_

_And for the first time what's past is past_

_'Cause you throw your head back laughing like a little kid_

_I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did_

_I've been spending the last eight months_

_Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end_

_But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again_

_But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again_

* * *

Beca's heels hit the back of her thighs viciously. Her chest was heaving, but the adrenaline eliminated all pain and discomfort. Her messenger bag continually clashed into her side as she raced forth. The campus blurred around her, the brunette effortlessly weaving through the throngs of students on the quad. At last, she reached the door and threw it open, bursting inside. Luke was just coming out of the booth, and he smiled at her.

"You-you're-playing my song on the radio!" she squealed.

He grinned. "It's a sick beat," he replied. "The DJ down at The Garage does something like this, but yours? It's better."

"Pshh, yeah it is."

"I told you her beats were sick!" CR hollared from the upper level of the station. "Nice, B."

"Thanks!" Beca returned happily.

Beca had been driving back to campus after putting gas when she had run across WBUJ's station on her radio. She then heard an all too familiar mashup, her own of "Call Me Maybe" and "Payphone", and she had stepped on the gas in a rush to get back to Barden. Now, she was all smiles as she stood in front of Luke, unaware of a certain blonde professor currently in her office with her radio on and a beaming smile.

"Hey, I'm leaving a little early for Christmas break," Luke went on. "How about you take the night shift the week before the break? Right after midterms? Play your music."

"Yeah, that sounds awesome," she replied, still recovering from shock.

"Okay, cool. We'll go over it a little more in detail when we get close."

"Thanks."

After their shift, CR and Beca made their way down to Etta's where CR had called everyone to meet and celebrate Beca's mix debuting on the radio. Chloe had already fetched a round, and Amy and Stacie were at a table with Benji and Jessica. Cynthia Rose had texted all of them the moment the song came on, and they had all been ecstatic when they heard it. Stacie had pulled out her earphones her psych class to listen in, and she had been bouncing in her seat with excitement. As they settled in, Beca pulled out her phone and turned it on. It wasn't her phone per say but a prepaid one that Aubrey had given her as their personal communication line. It intrigued Beca to no end just how intelligent the woman was, and the brunette had been resilient in obliging to hand over full control of the matter to the blonde. It had been off since before her shift, and the first thing to greet her was a text message from "Gina". Beca could never get over the name that Aubrey had come up with for herself on the spot in Beca's phone. She chuckled to herself before reading the message.

_"I heard a familiar song on the radio today. Congrats."_

Beca's grin only widened, teeth visible. CR looked over at her but said nothing, smirking at the goofy grin on Beca's face as the DJ sent a reply. CR had never seen such a large and genuine smile on her bro's face, and she thoroughly enjoyed it. She also had a hunch as to who had revived it.

_"Thank you. I'm glad you were listening in."_

The reply was instantaneous.

_"Well, I may have run into Mr. Bryant and asked him why his in-home talent wasn't getting any play. He promised he would give it a shot."  
_Beca's eyes widened at the confession. _"Really? You're the best!"_

_"You deserve it. :)"  
"When can I see you again?"_

_"I'll see what I can do. I miss you."_

_"I miss you too."_

* * *

Jesse's eyes darted from his menu to Aubrey several times in the few minutes they had been seated. Her eyes were in her lap, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. The anxiety quickly began to bubble in his gut. It had been a long time since he had even seen a ghost of a smile on the blonde's face, and he knew she was doing everything in her power to conceal it now. However, he was paying close enough attention to notice, and he wasn't sure what to think. Come to think of it, she did have the remnants of a glow around her. He straightened in his seat as he took in this new registration. Aubrey looked up at his sudden movement, and he caught a glimpse of the phone in her hand. It wasn't her usual Blackberry, and this further alarmed him.

"New phone?" he asked, attempted nonchalance as he sipped his wine.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. My other one stopped working, so this is temporary until they ship out another,"she replied curtly as she picked up her own glass.

"Who are you talking to?"

"Uh, Ashley."

He didn't wholly buy it because he had seen her talking to Ashley before, and it had never been this way before, but he would bite. For now.

"Oh, how is she?"

"She's-great. She just returned from Seattle."

"Oh, right. How was Thanksgiving with her?"

"Yeah, we-had a small meal at her mother's house. It was-nice."

"That's nice."

Before he could think of anything else to say, clearly not fully believing her answer, Thomas Posen entered the private dining area via the large glass door behind Aubrey. Jesse immediately stood, taking the man's hand in a firm shake.

"How are you, Dr. Swanson?" Thomas asked as they took their seats.

"I'm great, Sir," Jesse replied. "How about you?"

"I've been just fine. Aubrey, how are you?"

"I'm doing well, Daddy. Getting ready to close out the semester."

"Yes, of course. What are you doing for your Christmas break?"

"Oh, we-" Aubrey began, but Jesse jumped in.

"We're going to be staying at my parent's winter home over near Augusta. My sisters are coming down as well, so the whole family will have dinner together."

Aubrey refrained from arguing with him for the time being, but her jaw clenched as she saw that confident look on his face. Her father grinned at the man, patting his shoulder.

"That sounds very enjoyable, Dr. Swanson."

"Well, yes, since Aubrey here couldn't make it for Thanksgiving, we'll make it up at Christmas."

Nausea began to creep up as Thomas's sharp eyes flashed to his daughter. "Aubrey, why did you skip Thanksgiving with the Swansons?"

"I-I had a lot of work to do, so I stayed in town," she replied, meeting his gaze now. "I just had dinner with Ashley's family because they invited me, and it's been awhile."

"Very well. I'm sure that the Swansons will forgive you when they see your for Christmas. So, have you two talked over the matter of when you're moving in together?" Aubrey was definitely going to combust. "I know that Aubrey had some reservations on the matter, but we discussed it, and I believe that she has come to her senses."

"Uh, yeah, I was actually going to discuss it with him tonight," Aubrey choked out.

"Really?" Jesse asked now, eyes twinkling. "Amazing! That's great, honey."

"Yes, so we'll discuss that _after_ dinner."

"Fantastic," Thomas sighed, clapping his hands together. "I do believe it is time for you to settle down, Aubrey. You have a steady career as Dr. Swanson does, and you are a compatible couple. It would be in the best interest of both of you to begin blueprinting your future together. We would have you wed first of course then we would plan for the children, and-"

"Excuse me, Daddy, I really need to use the ladies' room."

Before either man could react, Aubrey was out of her chair and rushing for the bathroom. The moment her knees hit the cold tile in front of the porcelain seat, her stomach churned and emptied into the pot. Her throat burned fiercely, knuckles sheet white as they gripped the edges. She had to end this. She was not ready. She had never been ready to talk about a future with Jesse, but she was only now completely sure that she never would be. The man with the movie fascination and ideas of Hollywood endings was not the one for her. He was overbearing and a constant reminder of just how little control she had over her life. She could control the distance between her stapler and her cup of pens. She could control which assignments were due when in Philosophy class. She could control the temperature in her condo at all times, but she could not control who she married, who she spent her life with? This was ridiculous. It was completely out of hand, and it was Beca that had showed her that she truly had no control. It was all that she had vied for all of her life, and she had never fully grasped it. The revelation was unnerving, the most painful that she had ever faced. She needed to end this before it ended her.

Aubrey was able to get through dinner without another flight to the bathroom, but her jaw remained clenched shut. She took deliberate bites of her salmon, chewing for as long as possible as Jesse and Thomas spoke about Christmas break and school. When dinner at last came to a close, Thomas left them in the parking lot with firm hand shakes and a small smile. Once his Lincoln departed from the lot, Jesse turned to Aubrey. He took her hands in his.

"Honey, I am so glad that you're ready," he gushed. "I can finally start getting everything together. I'll start making space for all of your belongings. We can share my office, and-"

"Jesse," she halted him, not meeting his gaze as she retracted her hands. "I can't do this."

"Do what? What are you talking about?"

"I can't-"

He scoffed in disbelief. "Seriously? So you just lied to your father then? You get my hopes up."

"I didn't know what to do. He was sitting right there."

"Come on, Aubrey. This is ridiculous. We have been together three years, and your dad is right. It's time for us to plan our lives together, and the first time is committing to building a home together. We can-"

"Jesse." She looked up at him now, her eyes clouded with irritation. "It isn't about moving in together. I-I have tried so long to make this work, but-this isn't what I want. I don't want to move in together. Ever. I don't want to marry you or have kids or anything else in your preposterous movie endings. I do not want to be with you anymore."

"Wh-what?" He instantly looked as if she had just slapped him across the face, hurt and anger sketched in his features. "Where is this coming from?"

"You have been pushing me and pushing me and using my father, and I thought we could work this out, but all you do is start arguments that I can't finish. I'm tired of your apologies, of your Hollywood logic, of-_this_. I've been trying to leave for a long time, and you know that, but you revert to blackmail and sympathy to make me stay, and it isn't right! This isn't what I want."

"Is there-is there someone else? There's someone else, isn't there?"

"Jesus Christ! Jesse, it's you, okay? I don't want _you. _This has nothing to do with anyone else. I'm just tired of pretending!"

"But your father-"

"Oh my gosh, Jesse! I've let my father run this ship long enough!"

"What are you going to tell him then?" His gaze was now challenging.

"What? Are you going to run and cry to him!" Now her anger boiled over. "I cannot continue to date a child! You are such a child that it's suffocating. How can you expect to be a husband and a father when you can't even grow up? When you need my father to constantly fight your battles? I don't want to be with you! I'll tell my father what I must, but I will not sit here and explain myself to either of you. I am not in love with you, Dr. Swanson, and I don't think I ever was."

As the words left her mouth, she turned and trudged back to her car. She slid inside, bringing the engine to life before speeding out of the lot. Jesse watched with wide eyes, unable to process what had just occurred. How had this happened? Three years. They had been together for three years, and he was not about to admit to himself that he had long ago distinguished the flaws in his magic movie happily ever after. No, it could not end this way. He had to make her see. He was hers, and she was his, and this wasn't the end. He would fix this.

* * *

Beca took another shot from Amy with a drunken giggle as she gulped it down. Stacie was currently on stage singing some Britney Spears song, but not even that could dampen the happiness that Beca was currently experiencing. The first week of returning to school had been a bit difficult. She only saw Aubrey during class, and they had yet to get together again, but they texted and talked on the phone a lot.

"B, that mix was so amazing," Chloe gushed.

"Yeah, Short Stack, it had me grooving," Amy added.

"I know you would get airplay eventually," Benji reminded her.

"Thanks," Beca replied with a proud smile and a chuckle.

"I hope he plays more," Stacie chimed. "I listened to that CD like a thousand times. I really love the one with 'Shots'. It was so cool."

"Well, Luke's letting me take over the night shift the week before break, so I'll be able to play more of them."

"Really?" the whole table save for Cynthia Rose gasped.

"Yeah."  
"That's great, Becs," Chloe sighed happily, squeezing her knee gently. "I'm so proud of you."

"Yeah, but at least I didn't have to knock some since into the pretty boy first," CR smirked, patting Beca's shoulder. "I wonder what finally pushed him in the right direction."

Beca only shrugged. "Who knows?"

As CR slid her another beer, her phone went off, the one in her right pocket. She grinned before even making a move to answer it. When she saw that it was "Gina" calling, she quickly jumped up and rushed to the closest exit. Her friends watched her go but only shrugged it off. Once Beca was safely outside, she took the call.

"Hey," she answered.

"Hey," Aubrey's hoarse voice replied, and Beca's smile fell away as she instantly sobered.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

"Can-can we meet at your mother's?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving right now."

"Okay."

Beca ended the call and rushed back inside, worry already driving her. She leaned over CR and Chloe.

"Hey, guys, I gotta take off," she informed them.

"What? Why?" Chloe whined.

"Emergency. My mom needs me to go to the house."

"Oh, okay. You want me to go with you?"

"No, it's fine. All of her security and stuff is there too, so I don't want to complicate things."

"But, Becs, are you okay to drive?"

"Yeah, I'm completely fine. The call pretty much sobered me, so I'm good."

"Oh, okay. Well be safe, Becs." Chloe stood and kissed her cheek.

"Of course. See you guys later."

Chloe watched her walk away as Stacie sat down beside Cynthia.

"Where's pint-size going?" Amy asked, taking a seat across from Chloe.

"She said she had an emergency with her mom," Chloe answered, not wholly believing her words either. "I-okay."

"Really? Her mother's in town?"

"I guess. I don't know."

Amy quirked an eyebrow. "You sure she isn't meeting up with that child genius?"

The table chuckled. "Yeah, sure, Amy. This is serious."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. There's no game in that miniature body anyway."

* * *

Beca made it to her mother's house in forty-five minutes though she was slightly paranoid with the fact that she was still buzzed, and it was late in the quiet streets of Atlanta. She pulled into the garage, and Aubrey had not yet arrived. Leaving the door open, she rushed inside and pulled out two wine glasses and a bottle of Aubrey's favored wine. She headed upstairs to the terrace in her old bedroom and set the table. When she heard the garage door closing downstairs, she descended into the kitchen and opened the door. Aubrey entered in her usual business attire, hair pulled up into a tight bun though strands had fallen loose and her glasses hung off of her nose. What Beca noticed first and foremost was her puffy, red eyes and pursed lips, a sign Beca had learned that either meant she was about to puke or she just had. A lot. She immediately grabbed the blonde's hand, pulling her up to the terrace and onto the plush couch that sat on it. Aubrey instinctively curled into her side as Beca pulled her hair out of the bun and began running nimble digits through the locks. Neither spoke for a long time as Aubrey's nerves unraveled. Beca periodically planted a kiss on the crown of her head, fingers never ceasing their strokes through blonde tresses. When her heart had returned to a steady pace and the nausea had completely perished, Aubrey spoke in a raspy voice.

"I broke up with Jesse."

Beca was taken off guard both by the sudden break in silence and the information disclosed. Her hand stalled a moment before she resumed combing through the blonde's hair.

"Oh," she breathed, unable to form a more substantial response as she felt Aubrey's body go rigid.

"I-I'm sorry, Beca. I-I hope that you weren't busy when I called. Ugh, I was inconsiderate, and should have asked if you were busy. I mean you were probably celebrating with getting on the radio and everything, and I bombarded you with my problems, and I-"

Aubrey was abruptly cut off by the sound of Beca's rich and gratifying voice wafting through the air as the brunette began to sing, stilling Aubrey's movements and unwinding the knots in her muscles. Beca knew what her singing did to the blonde, but as always, it was not only her voice that seeped through her skin and warmed her heart. It was the words and the meaning behind them, Beca's own delicate way of telling her to shut up and that it was okay to call.

_It don't matter what plans I got, I can break 'em_

_Yeah, I can turn this thing around at the next red light_

_And I don't mind telling all the guys I can't meet 'em_

_Hell, we can all go raise some hell on any other night_

_Girl, I don't care. Oh I just gotta see what you're wearing_

_Your hair, is it pulled up or falling down?_

_Oh I just have to see it now_

_If you wanna call me, call me, call me_

_You don't have to worry 'bout it baby_

_You can wake me up in the dead of the night_

_Wreck my plans, baby that's alright_

_This is a drop everything kind of thing_

_Swing on by I'll pour you a drink_

_The door's unlocked. I'll leave on the lights_

_Baby you can crash my party anytime_

A wide grin spread across the blonde's face now through her tears, her heart and body melting into the DJ's side. Her hand gripped the pocket of Beca's hoodie tightly as she nuzzled further into the younger woman, indulging herself in the melody.

_Ain't a spot downtown that's rockin' the way that you rock me_

_Ain't a bar that can make me buzz the way that you do_

_I could be on the front row of the best show_

_And look down and see your face on my phone_

_And I'm gone so long, hang on. I'll meet you in a minute or two_

_If you wanna call me, call me, call me_

_You don't have to worry 'bout it baby_

_You can wake me up in the dead of the night_

_Wreck my plans, baby that's alright_

_This is a drop everything kind of thing_

_Swing on by I'll pour you a drink_

_The door's unlocked. I'll leave on the lights_

_Baby you can crash my party anytime_

_If it's 2 in the morning_

_And you're feeling lonely_

_And wondering what I'm doing..._

_Go ahead and call me, call me, call me_

_You don't have to worry 'bout it baby._

_You can wake me up in the dead of the night;_

_Wreck my plans, baby that's alright._

_This is a drop everything kind of thing._

_Swing on by I'll pour you a drink._

_The door's unlocked. I'll leave on the lights_

_Baby you can crash my party anytime._

_(Call me, call me, call me)_

_Baby you can crash my party anytime._

"Ever the charmer, Miss Mitchell," Aubrey managed softly.

"You're my priority now," Beca returned. "You come first. You call, I'm there."

When silence fell again, it was tranquil and at ease. Beca' lips were pressed to Aubrey's forehead before the blonde craned her neck to capture them in a sweet kiss. She then settled her head once again on the brunette's abdomen.

"Wh-what happened?" Beca at last asked.

"He-we had dinner with my father, and he was pushing marriage and kids, and I wasn't even ready to move in with him, and he's-so overbearing, and that's not-he isn't what I want. He never was. It just-took me so long to come to terms with it."

"Hey, I'm proud of you. You took control of it."

"I still have to tell my father though, and that's-ugh! I know that Jesse's going to tell him, to use my father's fondness of him to-"

"Then tell him to marry your dad. I really wanna punch that guy in the face."

Aubrey couldn't help but smirk. "Are you jealous, Miss Mitchell?"

"I don't know. Let me invite Chloe over so I can see what jealous looks like then we'll compare."

Aubrey was up in a flash, straddling the brunette's lap and eliciting a gasp from the younger before she could process the movement. The taller woman ran her hands down Beca's arms, sending shivers down her spine. Beca looked up to see a predatory gaze emitted from those deep emerald eyes.

"I don't share," the blonde husked, lips brushing the shell of Beca's ear, "and I'm not jealous. So, Miss Mitchell, I would suggest you not threaten me again, or you will be in very-big-trouble."

"Mmm," Beca hummed. "Do they still hold detention in college?"

"I can accommodate that suggestion."

"Please do." Beca surged forward to capture the blonde's lips, but Aubrey halted her, firm hands on her shoulders. "What?"

"Who's in control here?"

Beca smirked as Aubrey trailed kisses down her jawline slowly before continuing down her neck. Beca's hands slyly slid beneath her skirt, but Aubrey stopped them instantly, placing them at the brunette's side without a word. To hear the whimper that escaped Beca's mouth had Aubrey's mind reeling. Her eyes darkened several shades as her nails abraded Beca's shoulders. The brunette's fists clenched, struggling to retain control. When Aubrey pulled back to look at the brunette, sensing that she had forgotten to breathe, Beca found a way to fit more oxygen in her lungs as she gasped. The moonlight was catching Aubrey's emerald jewels just right, and they glistened with several various shades of green. A stray lock of hair fell down over her forehead, the light illuminating every detail of her sharp features.

"You're beautiful," Beca breathed.

Aubrey's breath hitched now, and she did not attempt to stop Beca as the brunette reached up to tuck away the stray lock before gently removing her glasses. Then she caressed the blonde's cheek lovingly as they gazed into one another's eyes. It was not the words that caused Aubrey's heart to swell. It was the tone of the DJ's voice, the look of pure love and vigor in her stormy blue eyes that seemed an even deeper blue now. It was the delicacy of her touch as the tips of her fingers trailed along her skin. Never had she been touched so amorously. She swore that she could cry at the sight before her. Beca, young and reserved Beca, was looking at her in such a way that alerted each and every one of her senses, further bringing her to life and warming her to the core.

"I was jealous," Aubrey admitted breathlessly, her brain in overdrive.

"So was I," Beca returned in a matching tone. "I love you."

Beca's eyes bulged as she processed her words, but Aubrey only smiled. "Really?"

Beca's expression softened as she nodded slowly. "Really."

"How do you know?"

Beca smirked. "Leave it up to you to make a midterm of it." Aubrey lightly smacked her arm as she chortled, but she soon gained her composure, cupping the blonde's cheek. "Seriously, Aubrey. I-I've never felt this before, but I would imagine that this is what it feels like. All of the cliche's and movie logic and all of that romantic novel type stuff? It has nothing on this. It's so much more than that. There's no fireworks. There's no butterflies. Well, not for me, but I may just be weird." Aubrey giggled now. "But for real. When I'm with you, I just-it all feels right. It's like there was a hollow place in my heart, and when you're here, the echoing shuts off. It's quiet but a good quiet. Like, the acoustics inside of me are perfect, and there's no feedback or ugly reverberation. I'm in tune now. It's like, when I'm making a mix or a beat and there's something missing that I can't quite put my finger on. It was you. In my mix, you were missing, and you made it perfect. There's no more void. I've always been this awkward and quiet kid who shut everyone out because it was easier, because my parents left me, and I figured that if the two people that brought me into this world could forget me so easily, what was stopping anyone else? I know I'm not easy to love, not now. I use all of the-snark and sarcasm as a defense because I don't want anyone to see what's underneath. They never stay around once they do. I mean, they usually don't stay around otherwise, but still. At least, if they don't get underneath the surface, they can't affect me by leaving. I let Benji and his parents underneath because I hadn't learned the defenses yet, and that's all fine. I tried to keep it together, but-I was drawn to you from the beginning. I couldn't stop it no matter how hard I tried. I just-it kept getting stronger and stronger, and when I finally kissed you, I felt _whole_. Yeah, I know there's a chance that you will leave me too, but this time, I can't _not _take the risk no matter how terrified I am. 'What if' is not an option this time, and I've come to terms with that because I am hopelessly in love with my uptight, wound up, stunningly beautiful Philosophy teacher. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here. You have to understand, Bree. You see what's on the surface. I see beneath that perfect little mask you're forced to wear, and underneath it, you are so much more beautiful than anyone would ever think possible. And although I know you won't, I'm gonna warn you anyway for the long run. If you ever tell anyone about me being so cheesy, I will end you."

Another giggle fell from Aubrey's lips, and she did not realize that tears had begun to stream down her face until Beca swiftly wiped the moisture away with the pads of her thumbs. The look that remained in Beca's eyes was all of the confirmation that she needed to know that every word rang true.

"You're amazing, Beca," she whispered, now reaching up and taking the brunette's face in her hands. "I feel exactly the same way."

"Are you saying that to get out of a big speech because you know I've outdone you because if so, I need a picture. Aubrey Posen is speechless."

Aubrey rolled her eyes and slapped her arm playfully. "You can stop with the defense mechanisms now, Mitchell, and refrain from ruining the moment."

"Right, sorry. Go on, Baby."

Aubrey smiled at the term of endearment. "You intrigued me from the start, and though you were the biggest pain in the ass, I could not keep you out of my head. We kept-running into each other, and then you were there each class, and-it only intensified as the weeks went on. I didn't want to admit it because of how dangerous it was, but as much threat as it posed, it was exhilarating. I knew that my heart belonged to you. It took me a long time to admit it to myself, but when I did, there was nothing more I could do about it. I had to follow my heart, and it's scary. Yeah, it is, but I will do whatever it takes to make this last. This is the start of me reclaiming my freedom, and your spontaneity and individuality inspire me. You let me be myself, and you're one of maybe two people on this entire planet that don't try to change me or mold me and make me something that I'm not. Even with those-ear monstrosities and all that eyeliner, I see beneath that, and I fell in love with what lies beneath. With you by my side, I know I can accomplish anything. What I'm trying to say is, I love you too."

And for the first time in a long time, Aubrey Posen did not say the words out of obligation. For the first time, it was her choice, and she meant it. She had followed her heart, and she could feel the organ come alive again as a fire ignited in her chest, spreading warmth throughout the entirety of her body. This was real. This was what love felt like, a feeling she had never before experienced but was now slowly becoming addicted to.

* * *

Jesse walked into the on-campus coffee shop just after noon. A break from morning lectures was well needed. It was the home stretch, and all he had left to do was collect term papers the following morning before Christmas break began. He ordered his usual, pulling his thick trench coat tighter around his body as he turned to find a seat. Many students were getting in away from the whipping rain outside. Before he could sit down, a hand clapped his shoulder.

"Dr. Swanson," Thomas greeted in his characteristically stern tone. "How goes it?"

"Hello, Dean Posen," Jesse cheerily returned as they sat across from one another.

"Are you ready for the break, Son?"

"More than anything, Sir."

"When will you and Aubrey be departing from here?"

"Uh."

Jesse did not want to be the one to tell Dean Posen that Aubrey had broken things off with him. She had called him a child for even entertaining the thought, but the man before him knew a lie from the truth, and his intense hazel eyes now bore into the younger man's soul. Jesse nervously fiddled with the belt of his coat as Thomas patiently awaited an answer.

"Actually, Aubrey and I are no longer together, Sir," he at last replied cautiously.

Thomas Posen's entire demeanor changed. The slight relaxation in his posture disappeared, hands clasping together as he leaned forward on the table with a raised eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" was his response.

"Yes, sir, it wasn't working out," Jesse nervously gusted.

"What is the problem? I was under the impression that you loved my daughter."

"No, sir, I do. I really do, but-"

"Did she sever ties with you?"

"Well, uh-I-"

"Very well. I would assume that this was not a mutual agreement."

"Well, not exactly, sir, but-"

"I will handle it, Dr. Swanson. I will not allow her to sabotage her future. There is no reason for her misbehaved antics, and I will sort it out."

"Well, Sir, I do believe that-she's moved on. She's-"

"Excuse me?" His eyes flashed dangerously. "Who else would she be seeing, Dr. Swanson?"

"I-I wouldn't know, Sir. I just have a hunch that there's someone else, and she would be happier with someone she actually wants to be with."

"That isn't a decision she is capable of making, Dr. Swanson. I will not allow her to downgrade and smite the Posen name. As previously stated, I will handle it."

"Actually, sir, I-"

"I shall be in touch, Dr. Swanson."

Before Jesse could say anything, Dean Posen had excused himself from the table and was heading out the door. Fear struck Jesse's heart as he watched the retreating man in awe. No matter what Dean Posen said to Aubrey, even if he was able to get Aubrey to come back to Jesse, Jesse knew that she would never love him. It would all be an act, a facade, and his movie ending ironically wasn't scripted in that way. It was supposed to be magical and real not staged. Aubrey didn't love him now, but once Dean Posen confronted her, she was going to hate him. This could never end well, but Jesse believed that if she truly gave him a shot, she could love him. Who else could possibly love her as much as he did? Who could she possibly be entertaining outside of him? He was her life. What more could she squeeze out of life apart from him? When Aubrey came back, he vowed that he would show her that he was the one for her. He could not give up on her. That was not an option, and he wanted to give her that fairy tale ending. He knew what she wanted. He just had to prove it to her.


	10. The Rebel's Rubbing off on Me

**_A/N: Hey hey thanks for all of the feedback! I'm glad I didn't lose my fluff touch haha. So the songs used last chapter were "Begin Again" by Taylor Swift and "Crash My Party" by Luke Bryant. This one is "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry. I am warning you now. The fluff is getting to dangerous amounts right now. But let's see how it goes here. _**

* * *

_You think I'm pretty_

_Without any makeup on_

_You think I'm funny_

_When I tell the punchline wrong_

_I know you get me_

_So I let my walls come down, down_

_Before you met me_

_I was alright but things_

_Were kinda heavy_

_You brought me to life_

_Now every February_

_You'll be my Valentine, Valentine_

_I finally found you_

_My missing puzzle piece_

_I'm complete_

_Let's go all the way tonight_

_No regrets, just love_

_We can dance, until we die_

_You and I, will be young forever_

_You make me feel_

_Like I'm livin' a_

_Teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and_

_Don't ever look back,_

_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops_

_When you look at me_

_Just one touch_

_Now baby I believe_

_This is real_

_So take a chance and_

_Don't ever look back,_

_Don't ever look back_

_I'm a get your heart racing_

_In my skin-tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Let you put your hands on me_

_In my skin-tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

* * *

_"Love is always able to harvest the interests of many philosophers," Aubrey agreed at Mr. Applebaum's statement. "There are far too many instances where love is fallen back on."_

_"You make it sound as if it is a dishonorable concept," that usual snarky voice interrupted._

_"I am saying nothing of the sort, Miss Mitchell."_

_Aubrey bit down on her lip to keep her features schooled. Beca had been going at it with her for the entirety of the class, contradicting every single word that fell from her mouth although Aubrey was well aware that Beca would agree with her otherwise._

_"What I am saying is that it's one of the more traveled paths," Aubrey went on._

_"Well, love is the goal to most."_

_"What do you mean by that?"_

_"Well, money can't buy happiness and all that. Without the material things, when everything else is gone and deteriorated, what's left to count on? Love."_

_"You can't always count on love, Miss Mitchell."_

_"That's incorrect, Dr. Posen. You can't always count on the _people _you love. There's a difference." Audible gulps echoed around the room._

_"Love is intangible, Miss Mitchell. There is no trophy that comes with it. To some people, love is nothing more than a fabricated emotion-"_

_"Love _is _the trophy. You're a pragmatic person, correct, Dr. Posen?"_

_"I would like to think so, yes."_

_"Then that explains it."_

_"Um, explains what, Miss Mitchell?"_

_"Douglas Yates said 'People who are sensible about love are incapable of it'."_

_The class gasped at Beca's outright challenge, and Aubrey pursed her lips quickly. She could only nod, now engaged in an intense stare down with the rebellious brunette. Before another word could be uttered by any, class was over. All began to exit the room with haste. Beca hung back but for only a moment. She wanted this to be on Aubrey. She wanted to hear the blonde request her extended stay. Then it came as she reached the door._

_"Miss Mitchell!" her voice wafted through the room. "A word."_

Beca waved Chloe and Benji on as usual. When all had filed out, Beca took the liberty of closing the door and slyly locking it before turning back to the blonde, who had her arms folded across her chest. Beca tried to conceal her smirk as she dropped her bag on a nearby desk.

_"Yes, Dr. Posen," she called innocently as she reached the blonde._

_"I couldn't help feel as if you were trying to get a rise out of me, Miss Mitchell," the blonde replied tersely, attempting to hide her own smirk though Beca donned hers now._

_"Guilty. As. Charged."_

_"I will not stand for this type of behavior in my class."_

_"You tell me this all of the time, Dr. Posen, but-I just haven't learned my lesson."_

_"Then I shall teach it again."_

Not another word was said before Beca was pushed up against the wall, Aubrey's lips on hers in a bruising kiss. Beca instinctively gripped the back of Aubrey's thighs, running her hands beneath the skirt. She once again put her strength on display, picking up the blonde effortlessly before dropping into the desk chair, Aubrey straddling her. Beca trailed kisses from her jawline down to her neck. 

_"Miss Mitchell, this is _my _class here," Aubrey breathed._

_"Oh, right," Beca mumbled._

_Aubrey inhaled a sharp breath as she was hoisted up off of the brunette's lap without warning and onto the desk. Beca wasted no time in throwing the taller woman's legs over her shoulders, shoving her skirt up her thighs and moving her underwear out of the way._

_"Beca, I can't-" Aubrey managed._

_"I have a lesson for you, Dr. Posen. It's the principle of reverse self-denial," Beca smirked. "You're quiet when you don't have to be. Let's see how quiet you can be when you absolutely have to be."_

Before Aubrey could speak again, she felt Beca's tongue run the length of her heat followed by a sharp entry, and she bit down hard on her lip to stifle the moan bubbling in her throat, gripping handfuls of chocolate tresses roughly. This girl was going to be the death of her.

* * *

Aubrey breathed a sigh of relief as she packed up her materials. The break had officially started for the teachers as well. She only had a few more term papers to wait on, Beca's included, and she could leave Barden for an extended amount of time, an occurrence long overdue. She had yet to decide what she was doing during her holiday, but at least she did not have to deal with Jesse's overbearing presence. Severing ties with the man was a breath of fresh air. The usual nausea had been absent from her system since then, and she was thrilled. She could thank Beca as well for this. She sat at her desk, stacking up all of the term papers she would have to grade when the door to her room opened. She smiled before looking up, expecting the small brunette to finally report and hand in her paper. When she looked up however, her blood ran cold, body going taut instantly. She stood as quickly as possible, straightening her posture.

"Daddy," she breathed, smoothing out her skirt.

"Aubrey," the man's stern tone filled the room. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you mean, Daddy?"

"Why do you feel the need to destroy your future?"

"What are you talking-"

"Is there someone else? Is that the reason that you severed ties with Dr. Swanson? That is what he's informed me of. What is going on in your head? Is it that Ashley woman? She is the only other person I'm aware of in your circle. If so, that is unacceptable."

"Daddy, please. It isn't her." _Wrong wording._

"But there is someone else. You need to get it together, Aubrey. I will not have you taking risks that are not beneficial to future, and I will not assent to having a lesbian daughter. This is-"

"Daddy, please. It's not-I don't want to be with Jesse. It has nothing to do with anyone else."

"You have no idea what you want. This is why I cannot trust you to make your own decisions. You are reckless and naive, and I won't-"

"Daddy, he doesn't make you happy."

"You won't allow him to. You constantly pick fights with him to-"

"Daddy, that isn't true."

"I-"

Before he could go on, another voice rang through the room.

"Hey, I-" Beca began, but when she turned the corner to find Aubrey and a man speaking, she halted both her approach and her words.

"Is this her then?" Dean Posen questioned now, sizing Beca up, and Aubrey's eyes bulged.

"Ex-excuse me?" the blonde scoffed. "That is a student, Daddy. You are being ridiculous."

"Well, your endeavors would lead me to believe that you are capable of something so reckless as such. It is you that is being ridiculously childish, Aubrey."

"Oh, uh, apologies, Dr. Posen," Beca spoke now, trying to help the blonde in any way possible as well as refrain from tackling the man. "I was just-dropping off my term paper." She held up the essay as proof.

"Daddy, I have matters to attend to," Aubrey growled at the man now.

"Aubrey, you will finish what must be then you will go home and ready yourself for your holiday with the Swansons," he concluded. "Do I make myself clear?"

"We can talk about this later. I-"

"No, there will be no further negotiation. I will pick you up myself promptly at seven, and I will drop you off at Dr. Swanson's home. Do not make this difficult Aubrey. Dismissed."

WIthout another word, the man turned on his heel and exited the room. Beca watched him go, a glare aimed at the man's back as her fists balled up, fingers subconsciously crumpling her term paper as they did so.

"Beca," Aubrey called softly, bringing the DJ back into the atmosphere.

Beca turned now and stepped into the office fully, shutting the door behind her with a heavy breath. She handed Aubrey her paper without saying a word, attempting to reign in her anger at the display. Aubrey smiled weakly as she placed it in the correct pile. Then Beca had an idea.

"You don't have to go," she grumbled.

Aubrey's smile turned to a grimace. "Beca, he's-"

"He said seven. I'll pick you up at six. Ask Ashley if I can get you there."

"Beca, what-where are we going to go? Atlanta is much to close for comfort. My father can-"

"Just trust me, okay? Please. We'll deal with that bullshit when we come back, but I'm gonna take you away. Just take my hand and trust me."

Aubrey observed the brunette a moment, reading the relentless determination in her eyes. She admired this trait in the younger girl more than anything. It was either trust her heart or be forced to face Jesse and spend two weeks with him. That decision was far too easy. She would deal with her father later. At last, she gave Beca an affirmative nod.

* * *

"Beca, where are you going?"

"I told you, Chloe, I'm going out of town for the break."

Beca was currently stuffing bags into the trunk of her vehicle beneath the skeptical gaze of her redheaded friend. The taller girl was gnawing on her lower lip as she intently watched Beca pack up her car. It was another instance where the DJ offered only vague explanations on her whereabouts, and Chloe was only worried about her, wondering if she was in some sort of trouble. The entire incident with Dr. Mitchell still ate away at her conscience constantly.

"Beca, you-you've been really secretive lately," she cautiously pointed out. "I mean, we're friends, and-I can help you if you need it. I really can. I would never tell anyone anything that you don't want me to, and you should know that by now."

Beca halted her actions and turned to the redhead. The sheer concern and worry in her friend's eyes melted her heart. She offered a small smile, taking Chloe's hand and pulling her into her arms, eliciting a gasp from the redhead.

"If I tell you, you have to _swear _not to utter a word," she whispered into Chloe's ear. "This is really serious, and it's like-life or death."

"I swear, Becs, on everything," Chloe returned hastily, wrapping her arms around Beca's neck.

"This looks intimate, right? If anyone's watching?"

"Yeah, but why-"

"Chloe, I'm with-with Dr. Posen."

Chloe tensed now but didn't pull away, a wide grin spreading over her face. "What? Really?"

"Yes, and her father is being really hard on her trying to get her to be with a guy she despises, so we're leaving."

The smile faltered. "Like-forever?"

Beca chuckled. "No, Red, not forever. Just for the break, to get away. Can you cover for me?"

"Yeah, of course. What do I have to confirm?"

"If anyone asks, I'm at my mother's winter home in West Virginia _alone_. I asked you to accompany me since everyone thinks we're dating and my father called my mom about it, but you couldn't."

"Okay, but I won't be leaving until Tuesday, so maybe we can say that I spent a few days with you before I went home if need be."

Beca smiled. "Yeah, that would work. You're the best, Chlo. I'm sorry, for not trusting you. It's just- it's a really touchy subject, you know."

"Yeah, I understand, but just know I always have your back, B." Chloe pulled back now to meet her friend's eyes. "I'm so happy for you, Becs. She _is_ a lot nicer outside of class, right?"

Beca grinned. "Yeah, Chlo, she's amazing. We're not all that different. She has her issues too, but when you get through those defenses, she's-she's everything I ever dreamed of."

"Good, because I don't care who she is. If she hurts you, I'll cut her."

Beca snorted a laugh. "I'm glad we're friends."

"I told you we would be."

"I know you did. Look, I've only even mentioned it to CR and that's because we're bros, and she can read me like an open book, and I'm positive she didn't tell Stacie, so just don't say anything to anyone, okay? I already told Benji's family I'm out, and if ever need be, my mom could vouch that I asked if you and I could go to the cabin."

"Okay, Becs, just be careful, okay?"

"I will. Don't worry. I have to go now though."

"Text me when you get there."

"Will do."

"Bye, Becs."

"Bye."

Chloe planted a kiss on the brunette's cheek as always before Beca loaded the last of her bags and rounded the vehicle to the driver door. She slid inside and headed off, noting that it was half an hour until six. Aubrey had given her Ashley's address, but she knew that with her coordination, it would take the entire thirty minutes, and they would have to be swift. Still, she was buzzing with excitement. She planned to make this the best winter break for both her and the blonde.

"Don't worry about anything, Bree, I have you covered," Ashley assured the blonde for the nth time in the past twenty minutes. "Just relax and enjoy it. Your beloved is sweeping you away for the holiday. That's so romantic."

"I know," Aubrey huffed. "I'm just-I'm so nervous. Ugh, I feel like a teenager again. It's like I'm living out a Taylor Swift song."

Ashley giggled. "Well good because it isn't like you really had the chance to be a teen the first time around."

"Yeah, but-I don't ever do things like this. It's new and exciting but terrifying all at once."

"I know, but now that I know the situation, I can fully offer my aide. Listen, if anyone ever comes asking, I gave you the keys to my cabin up north. I'm heading that way on Christmas, but I gave you the keys early so you could get out of town and avoid your dad. I'm sure he'll come asking, but I'll tell him that much and no more, not the location or anything."

"Okay, thanks so much, Ash. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Listen, I told you this would happen eventually, and this girl seems like the real deal. I'm just glad that you finally found that person that can give you everything you need."

"I just-I never expected this to happen."

"That's love, honey. It blind sides us, but once we adjust to it and go with it, it is the most beautiful thing on the planet. It's like-the Northern Lights, you know. A phenomenon that doesn't happen all of the time, but when it does, it takes your breath away and leaves an everlasting impression."

Aubrey smiled softly as she thought of her Beca. "I really love her, Ash."

"Then things will work itself out, and we'll help it along any way that we can. Besides, I think it's time you started thinking about about a career change anyway." She giggled as Aubrey playfully smacked her arm. "Dumping Hollywood was the first step to being yourself, to being independent and being truly happy."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Aren't I always?" Another chuckle as Aubrey scowled at her. "Just understand, Bree. In order to gain control, you have to lose control. This girl helped you lose that stagnant control to gain the control that you needed most over the most important aspects of your life."

"That makes so much sense. It's like, I'm finding the secrets to the universe. Learning everything in a new light, you know."

"Yeah, and I promise that if you let it be, it will be the most thrilling experience ever."

"I concur."

"So, where are you going?"

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me. She just said to trust her."

"Awww, that is so romantic, Bree! I'm so excited for you."  
The corners of Aubrey's mouth curled upwards. "I know. I'm getting excited too. I will be once we get out of here anyway."

"Well, come on. It's almost six. Is it okay if I meet her?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"I do have to know what she looks like if I ever need to hunt her down."

Aubrey only chuckled at this. The two women made their way outside just as a sleek, black MKZ pulled up to the curb. Aubrey's smile widened as the door opened to reveal Beca. Both brunettes soon mirrored her expression as Beca rushed over to pull Aubrey into her arms. Ashley was on the verge of tears. She had never seen her best friend so happy, and it made her happy to at last witness it. This was a marvel indeed.

"Hey, Princess," Beca greeted, and Aubrey just about swooned. "You ready?"

"Yes," the blonde returned. "Oh, but, Beca, this is Ashley. Ashley, this is Beca."

The two brunettes shook hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ashley. Thank you for helping us."

"Oh, I would give anything to have even a small role in an epic love story," Ashley replied, and the couple chuckled. "Just take good care of my best friend, okay? Don't make me hunt you down."

"Don't worry. I will take the best care of her," Beca acquiesced.

Before Beca could start loading Aubrey's luggage into her car, Aubrey explained that she would drive her car north, and they would drop it off at Ashley's cabin before they headed to their secret destination. Luckily, Beca assured her that they would be heading north anyway. It would make the story all the more believable because Aubrey was sure that Dean Posen would go to great lengths to apprehend and reprimand her. Beca complimented her intelligence as always then they bid farewell to Ashley and departed from her home, Aubrey leaving first so that Beca could follow. The cabin was about an hour north of Atlanta, and it was a quiet drive, both of them wishing they could be in the same vehicle. When they at last made it up the ridge and pulled into Ashley's cabin, Beca was relieved. Aubrey parked her car beneath the carport out back, grabbing anything that she needed from it before locking it up and popping the trunk. Beca efficiently transferred Aubrey's luggage to the Lincoln. The two then slid into the brunette's car, and Beca smiled over at the older woman. She pressed a chaste kiss to Aubrey's lips before reversing once more.

"So are you going to tell me where we're going, Romeo?" the blonde asked, more relaxed than she had been all day, "or is this your plot to kidnap me and hold me for ransom?"

Beca snorted a laugh. "Don't flatter yourself, Posen. Anyway, no. It's a surprise."

"How far are we going exactly?"

"Eh, it's a bit of a trip. About-hmm, five hours from here."

"Five hours?"

"Yeah, so get comfortable, Babe."

Aubrey smiled, resting a hand on Beca's thigh. "I already am."

It had been a bit of luck that Beca's plan had fallen into place so well. She had originally planned to just go to another one of her mother's homes near Macon since it was the only other house she had keys too, a set she had found at her childhood home. Then, by both blessing and curse, Beca received an impromptu call from her mother.

* * *

_"Hello?" Beca answered, in awe at the name on the screen._

_"Beca," the firm tone came through the receiver._

_"Mom."_

_"Yes, Beca, it's me."_

_"Hi, Mom." She could not think of anything else to say, her nerves jittering._

_"Your father called me. He would not relent until I took the call, and he said it was an emergency that had to do with you."_

_"Oh." She knew. It was obvious._

_"Now, Beca, I'm not sure why you're father is so riled up over it. It really isn't an issue. Even as a senator, I do not see what is so shameful about having a lesbian daughter."_

_"Yeah, but not many people even know or care that you have a daughter." Her tone became bitter instantly, but the senator remained indifferent._

_"What I would like to tell you is that if you would like to transfer schools for both your benefit and your father's pacification, I would agree with your choice."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yes, really, and I will pay for your education. I have already opened up an account in your name as well so that you will need not ask him for any aide, and the card will be delivered to you in a way that you find fit. You can choose any school you please. All you have to do is call Darren, and we will handle the rest."_

_"Okay, well I'll maul it over. Uh, actually, Mom. I-I don't have anywhere to go this Christmas. I was going to go back to the house, but I wanted to see if-uh, my friend and I could go up to grandpa's cabin for the break."_

_"Yes, of course. It would be best if you distanced yourself from Warren anyway. I will have one of my runners leave the keys and your card in the glove compartment of the SUV that I will have reserved at Chuck's for you." Beca lit up at the mention of the man's name. "It will be easier than taking your car up the slope. The card's PIN is your birthday. 0217. Also, I'll have them stock it for you, so you don't have to go out too much, okay?"_

_"Okay, thank you, Mom."_

_"When do you plan on leaving?"_

_"Tonight. Around six."_

_"Okay, I will make arrangements. And, Beca?"_

_"Yeah." Beca was expecting those three words she had not heard her mother say in years._

_"Clean up after yourself."_

_Her heart dropped. "Yeah." Click._

* * *

The ride up to the Abram cabin was just one big sing-along. Aubrey really let her hair down, and Beca saw what she had hoped to, the beauty beneath the facade of indifference towards everything. To see her sing Katy Perry and Bruno Mars, when the DJ was convinced that she most likely indulged only in classical music or songs from centuries ago, was both amusing and enchanting. The blonde was dancing and singing without a care in the world, and it was a victory in her companion's eyes. Beca had filled the car with snacks and drinks to regulate pit stops, and the journey seemed much shorter than six hours. As they entered West Virginia, they were surrounded by snow-capped mountains and vast forest. Aubrey was speechless. She found it to be the most beautiful scene she had ever laid eyes upon. She gripped Beca's hand tighter, and the brunette smiled at the childish glint in the older woman's eyes. There was a light fog over the land, the grass frosted over with what appeared as a blanket of icing. A river ran perpendicular to the road they were now on, leading them over a small bridge.

"Please tell me you've been to the mountains, Posen," Beca smirked.

"Yeah, in Georgia, but-it was never like this," Aubrey answered honestly. "I-I've never seen a white Christmas."

"Well, there's a first time for everything."

"This is amazing, Becs."

"You haven't seen a thing yet, sweetheart."

When they reached Beckley, Beca pulled into Chuck Epson's dealership right off of the highway. He was a close friend of the entire Abram family for the past few generations especially Beca's late grandfather and an avid sponsor of Hanna Abram's campaigns and views. The cabin was not a perk of a senator but a family cabin passed down through generations. When Shawn Abram passed, he handed it over to his only daughter Hanna, and one day, Hanna would hand it over to Beca. It was a place that was vital to the memory of happier times in the DJ's life when she still had a family in her home. Before her mother became senator, they spent every winter and some summers in West Virginia hunting, fishing and enjoying the cooler temperatures. The outdoor game was the only memory Beca had of her grandfather, so she cherished them greatly. She hoped that Aubrey would love this place because it meant the world to her, and it had been much too long since she had come.

Chuck was waiting outside for her near the entrance beside a dark SUV although it was nearing one in the morning. He was a tall, heavyset man with a barreled chest and a curly red lumberjack's beard, but he was a nice guy who really looked after his customers. His wife also owned the most popular bar and grill in the mountains south of Charleston, and she had known Beca since she was a baby. As Beca came to a stop in the lot, both women slid on their beanies, and Aubrey waited near the car while Beca went to talk to the man. The brunette did not expect the man to remember her or be thrilled to see her so late, but her nerves were quickly washed away.

"Hey, Becs!" he greeted in his deep and booming voice that shook snow off of the trees.

"Hey, Chuck," she returned with a chuckle as he crushed her in his tree-trunk-like arms.

He pulled away to look at her. "You got-not any taller."

She slugged his arm as he barked a laugh. "Shut up, Big guy."

"Well, you look good. I haven't seen you in forever."

"Tell me about it. I miss this place. Thanks for waiting up for us."

"I still have mechanics here. A landslide hit two of our trucks, so we're trying to salvage our stock. Besides, I went home for a bit, but your mom estimated your arrival around this time."

"Well, thank you."

"Okay, this is yours." He gestured to the navy blue Suburban beside them. "Your mother had everything handled earlier when her assistant called."

"Okay, thanks, Chuck."

"So." He leaned closer to her now. "Taking some lucky girl up to the cabin, huh? I always knew you were gonna be a lady killer, you know. Ezra and Jack owe me now. What are you getting that girl into, Becs?"

Beca snorted as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I don't kiss and tell."

"Either way, she's a lucky one. You gonna do any hunting while you're up here?"

"I don't know yet. I don't know what she's into."

"What? You haven't told her that you come from a long line of trophy hunters? Mitchell or not, you're still an Abram, and your grandfather would be turning in his grave if one of his two only living descendants skipped out."

"You make me feel unworthy or something. Must you make it sound so-critical?"

"Oh, it is. It's like one of the Jackson kids not being a pop singer. This is the Mountaineer State, Kid. Go big or go home."

"I'll see about it."

"Okay, and you can show me the damage when you come back down."

"You got it."

"So, uh, are you going to introduce me?"

The brunette laughed. "Yeah."

Beca led him over to the car where Aubrey stood nervously, and she took the blonde's hand with a reassuring smile.

"Bree," she sighed. "This is Chuck. Chuck, this is-"

"The wild beast tamer," Chuck finished as he pulled the blonde in for a hug. "It's a pleasure to finally meet ya. Becs hasn't been back here in years, so you must be special."

"Thank you," Aubrey replied with a giggle as he released her.

"You did a good job here, B. You have some taste. I was worried for a bit back there. I mean, this one seems a lot more sophisticated than your ear spikes, you know."

She swatted his chest with a chuckle as Aubrey giggled and gave Beca a pointed look. "It took me awhile, but I got the hang of it. You wanna know the secret though?"

"Tell me, tell me." He jumped around like a toddler eliciting another round of laughs.

Beca stage whispered now. "She actually _fell _for the sarcasm."

"Wow, finally your curse brings a blessing."

"Right?"

"Well she is a beauty."

"Yeah, she is." Beca and Aubrey shared a warm smile.

"Well, Becs, let's load it up and get you two on your way then. It's already late, and you know how the roads can be."

Beca nodded, and the two began moving the bags from Beca's car to the back of the Suburban with haste and precision. When it was all loaded up, the man hugged Beca once more.

"Be careful out there, Dude," he warned, and she giggled.

"You got it, Dude," she replied before sliding into the driver's seat.

"And if you get a chance, come on down the mountain and have dinner with us mountain men, huh? I know that Jack and Ezra would love to see you. It's been years. Lina will let you have a few beers too. I mean, she did it when you were ten, and you're still the same size, so."  
Beca scowled at the two laughing on either side of her before cracking a grin. "Okay, will do as long as you leave my height deficiency alone."

"I can't make any promises."

"You never could. Tell Lina I said hi."

"Got it."

He waved as they exited the lot before getting into Beca's car and driving it to the back of the dealership. Before she started up the mountain trail, the DJ urged Aubrey to text Ashley to let her know they had arrived before they lost signal while the younger texted Chloe. When she finished, she headed up the winding road.

"Can you see over the dashboard in this, Mitchell?" Aubrey smirked.

"Please, Posen, I learned to drive in one of these," Beca retorted. "Up here. When I was seven. With bricks attached to my shoes."

Aubrey giggled as she slid to the middle of the seat and wrapped her arms around Beca's. "Thank you, for bringing me."

"It's our little getaway. I've never eloped before, so it felt like a good cliche thing to do."

"Yes, you're just a big cheese ball on the inside."

"Yeah, but that's top secret information. If you tell anyone, I'll have to kill you."

"Well, Ashley already knows."

"I'll make an exception since she aided and abetted."

Aubrey laughed again. "You should really fear my best friend. She's vicious when need be."

"Did she ever punch Jesse in the balls?"

"She would have, had I allowed her to."

"Then I will both like her and fear her."

"Good. Uh, did you-tell anyone you were coming?"

"I told them where I was going but not with whom. Benji's parents were expecting me, so I had to, but oh, well, I sort of told Chloe-"

"What!" Aubrey tensed, her neck nearly snapping to look at Beca as she disentangled herself.

"Bree, chill, okay? She's had a hunch, and she wanted to help. If anyone asks, like say my dad, I left town, and she can vouch. She has it covered, and since my dad thinks I'm dating her for some _weird_ reason," Beca gave the blonde a pointed look, causing her to blush. " we might as well use it to our advantage. I trust her, and I know she wouldn't do anything to hurt me."

"Okay, I trust you."

"Thank you."

When they pulled up to the Abram cabin, the motion lights scattered along the face of the house came on, and Aubrey was in awe. It was more of a mansion than a cabin only it was made of rosewood logs. It was three stories, each with a polished terrace hung with various lights that illuminated the majestic structure. The staircase leading up to the door was topped with marble, the railing that encased it a finely finished wood. Another staircase to the side led up to the second floor deck where a grill was stationed along with a fire pit and various couches and a swing. There was an extended garage to the right of it and more stairs protruded from the top where the back staircase led up to the loft. There was a smaller structure just behind the cabin that Beca explained was the hunting shed where her relatives would tend to their game. Trees encircled the entire cabin, concealing it from view outside of the clearing, and a blanket of white fell over the lawn. A chimney stack was visible on the flat roof, and the clearing had the most amazing view of the night sky above. It were as if the glade was in its own universe or dimension. The moment they entered, all Aubrey felt was beautiful serenity wash over every bone and muscle of her body.

Beca opened up the glove compartment and retrieved a small remote-like object. She pressed a button, and one of the garage doors began to ascend. Another button and the majority of the motion lights went out.

"We don't wanna keep them all on," she explained. "A deer runs through here, and this place will light up like a Griswold Christmas." This made Aubrey snicker.

Once the garage door was fully opened, Beca pulled inside and parked the Suburban. She rushed around to open Aubrey's door, unaware of how nice it was in the blonde's eyes. She helped her out of the car.

"This is amazing, Becs," Aubrey sighed happily, wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck.

"Yeah, I missed it," Beca replied. "Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for making me trust you."

Beca smiled, pecking the woman's nose before beginning to unload the car. Beca led her up to the enormous master bedroom where they set their bags down. Once that was finished, the DJ gave her the grand tour of the entire massive house. There were several bedrooms, a play room, a kitchen, a living room and a separate den that was filled with various trophies and mounts with the antlers and horns of an array of different animals. On the far wall, bows and quivers of arrows hung along with a gun case that was currently locked.

"This was Grandpa Shawn's favorite room," Beca explained.

"Beca Mitchell, are you about to tell me _you_ know how to hunt too?" Aubrey gasped.

"You judged the book by its cover, Posen. My shot is still spot on despite the eyeliner."

"Oh, I'll have to see this."

"Do you hunt?"

"Well, when I was little, Daddy used to take me on his hunting and fishing trips he went on with his work buddies, but then it was all school and no play when they let me skip grades."

"Well, I guess you're in luck then."

"You-you'll take me?"

"No, Posen, I just like building you up to tear you down. I'm gonna go without you," Beca deadpanned, earning a slap to the arm. "Of course I'll take you. That's what Chuck was on about earlier. He wanted to know if I had disclosed the family traditions of the great outdoors."

"Wow, I just keep peeling back layer after layer."

"Yeah, yeah. Come on."

Beca took her hand and led her back outside. They rounded the house to the back where the loft staircase was located. They ascended them and arrived on the landing. Another ladder was embedded in the wooden wall of the loft's entrance, and Beca climbed that as well. She helped Aubrey up.

"Now close your eyes for a moment," she prompted, and Aubrey did so.

Beca intertwined their fingers, tugging her gently along the roof. Aubrey could not believe how long the roof was either despite the size of the house, and they at last came to a stop just as she was about to comment on the distance. Beca positioned her towards the west, the opposition direction of where they had come from.

"Okay, open them."

A sharp gasp escaped the blonde when she obliged. From her stance on the roof, over the tall trees, she could make out the icy river flowing just down the hill they were perched on. Even in the darkness, the moon was so large that it glistened off of the water. The shadows of the trees reached for what seemed to be miles across the mountains. The moon was nestled in the bosom of the range just beyond their location, and the scene once again stole Aubrey's breath away. Beca grinned as the light twinkled in Aubrey's eyes. She then whirled around, enveloping Beca in her arms and pressing their lips together.

"Don't get excited yet," Beca muttered against her. "It looks way more amazing in the daytime."

"It's still amazing," Aubrey returned.

"Bree, I just want you to relax, alright? We're safe up here."

"I know."

"Well, except there's no reception or anything, so if Jason Vorhees-oomph!" Aubrey's hand swatted her stomach. "Kidding," she croaked.

"Don't say things like that."

"Aww, are you scared?"

"You want another one?"

"No, ma'am. I'm kidding though. We have an emergency line that will give 9-1-1 our coordinates if need be. Apart from that, no one can get ahold of us. You know what that means?"

"What?"

"That means you're a lucky lady not having to share this badass-oomph!"

Aubrey giggled, massaging the point of impact on Beca's stomach through her many layers.

"Sorry, honey," the blonde cooed.

"No problem," Beca choked out. "Abs of steel."

"Oh, really?" She cocked her hand back.

"No, that's okay! It's cold! They're tender right now."

The blonde couldn't help but laugh again, a sound Beca never got enough of. "This is going to be fun."

"It's sure going to be something."


	11. A Knight in Skinny Jeans and Chucks

**_A/N: okay this is ALL fluff so I won't even deny it lol. well okay there's ONE major conversation. I figured it would be good for them to have said conversation and clear some things up. but itll be fine. After going over both UConn & Univ. of GA codes of conduct, I decided to include the info on student-teacher relations_**

**_Song: Hero/Heroine-Boys Like Girls_**

* * *

_It's too late baby, there's no turning around_

_I got my hands in my pocket and my head in a cloud_

_This is how I do_

_When I think about you_

_I never thought that you could break me apart_

_I keep a sinister smile and a hold of my heart_

_You want to get inside_

_Then you can get in line_

_But not this time_

_I won't try to philosophize_

_I'll just take a deep breath then I'll look in your eyes_

_This is how I feel_

_And it's so surreal_

_I got a closet filled up to the brim_

_With the ghosts of my past and their skeletons_

_And I don't know why_

_You'd even try_

_But I won't lie_

_You caught me off guard_

_Now I'm running and screaming_

_I feel like a hero and you are my heroine_

_Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?_

_And I feel a weakness coming on_

_It never felt so good to be so wrong_

_Had my heart on lockdown_

_And then you turned me around_

_And I'm feeling like a newborn child_

_Every time I get a chance to see you smile_

_It's not complicated_

_I was so jaded_

_And you caught me off guard_

_Now I'm running and screaming_

_I feel like a hero and you are my heroine_

_Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?_

_(I feel like a hero and you are my heroine)_

_And I feel a weakness coming on_

_It never felt so good to be so wrong_

_Had my heart on lockdown_

_And then you turned me around_

_(Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?)_

_And I'm feeling like a newborn child_

_Every time I get a chance to see you smile_

_It's not complicated_

_I was so jaded_

* * *

Beca woke up to cold sheets the morning following their arrival at the cabin. She looked over at the clock on the nightstand. It was eight in the morning. She flopped back into the pillow with a groan, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. After a few moments, she made her way out of bed. When she entered the hall, the smell of something sweet greeted her, and she smiled. She made her way down the stairs. Entering the kitchen, she discovered Aubrey pouring two mugs of coffee, a griddle on the counter where pancakes were cooking. She strode over, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist and bringing a smile to the taller woman's lips.

"Good morning," the blonde whispered.

"How long have you been awake?" Beca mumbled into her shoulder.

"A couple of hours."

"Babe, you're supposed to sleep in. That's the point of a vacation."

"My internal alarm clock went off."

"I don't like waking up alone."

The blonde could feel Beca's lower lip jut out against her skin. "Beca Mitchell, are you pouting?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. That would be against the code of badassery."

"Many things you do with me are most likely against the code of-_badassery_."

"But they're only for you."

"So you're pouting only for me."

"Oh the life of falling for a college professor. Even when you're wrong, you're right."

"That's just the code of women, Dear."

"I'm a woman too."

"That's debatable."

Beca scoffed, releasing the blonde, and Aubrey groaned at the loss of contact. "Excuse you?"

"Oh, hush."

The older woman turned around and pressed a kiss to Beca's lips, offering the mug of coffee. The DJ took it with a half-hearted scowl as Aubrey returned to flipping the pancakes. Beca slumped into one of the chairs at the table, sipping the warm liquid with a sigh of content.

"Did I ever tell you that I love you?" she quipped.

"Is that badassery code for 'thanks for babying me with breakfast'?" Aubrey shot back.

"Possibly."

"Well I love you too."

"What does that translate into?"

"Thank the heavens I love you or else you would starve or have to eat peanut butter out of the jar and cold bread."

"I am perfectly capable of-" Beca snapped her mouth shut when she became aware of the raised eyebrow her companion was sporting. "I-thank you, honey. You're the best."

Aubrey nodded in satisfaction before turning around to serve them. Beca watched her intently, a smile forming gradually on her lips as she did so. Even in the morning making breakfast, the blonde moved with the utmost grace. It was enthralling. Beca could definitely get used to this. Aubrey set a plate down in front of her before taking the seat across from the brunette.

"So," Beca sighed after her first bite. "My mom called yesterday."

"Oh, really?" the blonde replied, looking up at her and giving her full attention.

"Yeah, uh, my dad called her." Aubrey cringed but said nothing. "Yeah, he told her about-you know. Anyway, she wasn't mad. Then again, my parents haven't agreed on anything in years, so she may have just been okay with it out of spite. She told me that she would help me if I wanted to transfer schools."

"Well, is that what you wanna do?"

"I-I don't know. I mean, I'll miss everyone at Barden, but-I mean, it would be easier for us, right? I could go to a community college or something in Atlanta. I wouldn't be far."

"Yes, this is true."

"At least, I wouldn't be putting your job at risk, right?"

"Well, I did look into the parameters of it."

"Okay, what are they?"

"In our Code of Conduct agreement that we were given when originally employed, student-professor relations are discussed in depth. Basically, if I'm not teaching you, not teaching in the department you're majoring in and not on any type of committee that is making some sort of decision on or evaluation of you, it's not against our policy. You are, after all, an adult. Are you taking my class next semester?"

"Well, I had thought about it, but-I figured it would be best not to. I'm taking 102 with Dr. Evans."

Aubrey couldn't help but smile. "I'm very proud of you for that, Honey. It's definitely beneficial."

"So it's basically a matter of reputation."

"Solely. It would probably be in our best interest for you to declare a major outside of my department as well."

"Yeah, but, I mean I don't even know what I'm doing. I mean, yeah, I've gotten used to school, but I don't even know what I'm going for. I wanna make music."

"Well you can go to school for that, and you can change your major whenever you please."

"I'd really rather see Dr. Swanson's face as little as possible."

Aubrey giggled. "I understand that."

"Are we-you know, an item?"

"I-well, if you're asking me if I want anyone else, no. I don't. This is-an exclusively non-exclusive affair I suppose."

"So then it's okay. We can-be together?"

"Technically, yes. Like I said however, my concern is my father. I'm not worried about the school. My father will go to the ends of the earth to point out my flaws. Like the phones? Those were so _he_ wouldn't tap my line."

"He would do that?"

"I know that he would consider it especially if Jesse told him there's someone else."

"Jesse told him?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, what a-ugh, it's official. I'm gonna hit the guy before this is over."

"Calm down, Becs. He's a kid. Plain and simple. I didn't expect much less."

"Well, if I-decided to go to LA, what would-happen to us?"

"I don't know, Becs. Honestly, I don't."

"I'll stay if I have to. That's not even a question."

Aubrey was caught off guard by this sincere statement. "You would?"

"Aubrey, I love you. I told you that. You're more important to me than anything. You come first."

The blonde could not help but smile. "You are something else, Beca Mitchell."

"I'm just trying to give you what you deserve."

"You've already given me so much more than that."

"You're just selling yourself short." Aubrey smirked, and Beca immediately proceeded. "_Do not _make a short joke out of that. You'll ruin the moment."

The taller woman stifled a giggle. "Oh, honey, it's okay. You're just fun sized is all."

"Damn right," Beca grumbled, taking another large bite of her pancakes. "What-I mean, what do you think would happen if someone we don't trust found out this happened _while_ you were teaching me? If your dad found out at all."

"I don't know. He-Becs, my father has pull everywhere, and it would be him that would take it to the extremes. I know exactly what he would do, and I don't want to face that. Not now."

Beca nodded. "Just know that I'm beside you. I know we can't do anything drastic now. It hasn't been long enough to make plans, but I'm here."

"I know you are. Thank you."

Aubrey could concur that the view from the roof was impossibly more beautiful in the early morning lighting. She stood overlooking the scenery, Beca's arms wrapped tightly around her waist. The chill breeze was light around them, their breaths visible before their eyes. Clouds blotted out the sun significantly. Beca had never felt Aubrey's body so at ease, and she was internally jumping for joy. She knew that the blonde had never really had a chance to enjoy the little things in life, to have a real childhood before she was thrown into adulthood. She wanted to give her the luxury of just indulging the moment without worry or care. The tranquility of their surroundings did wonders for Aubrey, releasing all of the tension that had seemed to be permanently housed in her shoulders and neck. Beca planted a soft kiss to the back of her neck, and the blonde melted into her embrace. Happiness had always been a figment of the imagination in her eyes, a concept that only Thomas C. Posen had fully grasped and had written the blueprints for. To know that this rambunctious brunette was the one that opened her eyes to the truth was a phenomenon in itself, one that Aubrey would have never foreseen but was thankful for regardless. With Beca, there were no outrageous standards or calling to be continually politically correct. It was only them, and the brunette's free spirit was flying, but she was taking Aubrey with her to new heights that the blonde had never dreamed of.

Neither Beca or Aubrey had ever truly enjoyed cuddling. Jesse had been all for it, but Aubrey was not comfortable being in another's presence much less embrace for too long. With Beca, like so many other things, this changed. Laying on the sofa with Beca's arms around her and a mug of hot chocolate quickly became a favored pastime.

"This is nice," she sighed as Beca nipped at her neck.

"Isn't it?" Beca replied. "That's saying a lot. I've never been a cuddler."

"Nor have I. You're good at it though."

"It's nice to not feel like I'm holding a sheet of plywood though."

Beca chortled as Aubrey reached back and swatted her shoulder. "Always ruining the moment."

"That was a compliment, Babe. Chill out there."

"Of course it was."

"Just because I love you does not mean that sarcasm gets left at the door, alright?"

"You wouldn't be my Beca if it did."

"Okay then, so don't act so surprised."

"Well I can I say that I've never been this relaxed before."

"I can vouch for that. I never expected you to be this way ever, but I'm glad I tried anyway."

"Why did you?"

"Why did I try?"

"Yeah."

"Like I said, I was drawn to you. I know that there was something else there. I know that because I know me, and I know why I act the way I do. People always have reasons for why they choose to be the way they are. For instance, Chloe's bright and bubbly and loves everyone because she grew up in a happy home with a big family and a lot of love. Benji is a goofy guy who isn't ashamed of his interests because his dad is an inventor and a musician and an artist, and freedom of expression is a moral that their family was built on. Cynthia Rose grew up in a bad neighborhood where you had to literally fight for your life all of the time, so she's overly protective of her friends. Her mother and grandmother are really affectionate though, so she learned to be the same. Stacie, well, it was hard for Stacie to tell us her story. She had a pretty bad rep in high school for sleeping around and stuff. She dresses provocative and dances like a stripper, and that's how we knew her until she and CR started dating. It was because her father used to-do things to her when she was younger. He made her feel like that was the only way any man would love her, so she listened. Then a girl came along and proved otherwise. We're all molded by what we endured in our past. I'm the way I am because I learned that even the closest people to you can walk away, can discard you like an empty soda can and think nothing of it. I haven't heard my mom say she loves me in like, nine years. I remember because I used to count each time she _didn't _say it when she had the chance. Yesterday for example. I push people away with that attitude you hate so much."

"And yet, somehow, it was that attitude that drew me to you to begin with."

"But that's the difference. I've never been one to believe in all of that fairy tale, soul mate business, but-I feel like we were meant to be something. Our paths crossed because someone higher up has a much more powerful influence with a much bigger blueprint than your father."

"That's what I see in you now. You're so intelligent, but it isn't just book smart. You've created your own philosophies and built your own logic upon experiences and interactions. You come into my life and basically pull off the blinders and show me that everything that I once believed in was built on either flimsy foundation or fraudulent grounds altogether. That's not a bad thing either. You were the personification of a truth I either refused to acknowledge or missed entirely, and you took the chance of going to war with me, and you won. Regardless of which, you're an epiphany, and in that, you may have saved my life. Still, there is that last leap I would have to make, and that comes with losing my family."

"If they were family, Baby, you wouldn't lose them. My mom and dad are my mom and dad. I lost my father more than once, and I'm not saying you shouldn't be hurt over it. That would be a hypocritical thing of me to say because I let that fact completely shape my life. However, we push through it. My family is Benji's family. It's my friends back at school. It's you. You're the ones that love me for who I am and have never asked for any type of alteration in that. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

"That's the thing, Becs. How could I ever berate myself for loving you when you're everything that my family should be? You're everything that I'm not, everything that I need. That statement you just made alone speaks volumes. It is a statement that no one that ever claimed to care about has said to me. The only one that never tried to push me into conformity was Ashley. I don't have friends. I don't associate with anyone. I never had time to make friends skipping grades and immersing myself in my work. I was afraid to let anyone in because I was afraid to lose myself anymore than I already had. Then here you are, my biggest mistake in my father's eyes, and you are the only thing that I _don't _regret. It's as if my father's entire mission was to shield me from you, from the truth because if I found you, he would lose his control over me. Beca, you have no idea how important you are to me."

Beca smiled, pressing a kiss to the blonde's head. "I love you. That's a sure thing. No matter how this pans out, I'm going to be there beside you. I'm going to fight for you or beside you, but Aubrey, I will no longer allow you to sell yourself short. You can fight me on it, yell at me for it, insult me or anything else you feel like doing. I'll be your punching bag, but you gave me your heart whether you like it or not, and that is my most prized possession. I'm not letting go. I'll take that plunge with you because you're everything to me, and that's a fact."

Aubrey smiled. "You're like a knight in shining armor."  
"Well, will skinny jeans and chucks work because I heard shining armor is pretty uncomfortable."

Aubrey giggled, turning over in the brunette's arms to face her. Their lips met in a soft kiss before Aubrey pulled back and gave her a nod.

"I wouldn't want you any other way," she whispered.

"Even with the ear monstrosities?" Beca asked innocently.

Aubrey scrunched her nose, and the brunette found it to be the cutest thing she had ever seen.

"I think I can get used to them," the blonde finally sighed.

"Hey, I've gotten used to your projectile vomiting," Beca retorted, and Aubrey swatted her arm.

"You haven't even seen it more than once."

"You're right. Wow, I'm good at this whole 'keeping you calm' stuff."

Aubrey smiled as that sunk in. "Yeah, you are."

* * *

Aubrey was surprised to awaken in the morning to empty sheets. To find that Beca was up before her was a bit alarming. She slid out of bed with a yawn, rubbing her eyes. The clock read 4:54. That was even more alarming. It was still dark outside. The blonde made her way into the hall, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee met her warmly. She smiled. When she reached the kitchen however, Beca was nowhere to be found.

"Becs?" she called through the empty space.

"In here, Babe!" she heard Beca's voice reply, and she followed it into the den.

Her grin just about split her face when she registered the sight before her. Beca stood near the weaponry wall in the den in full camouflage from head to toe with a beanie, a jacket and pants. She also had on black combat boots, and there were black lines smeared beneath each of her eyes. Another suit of the like lay on the table at the center of the room. Beca was fiddling with a bow at the current moment, eyebrows knitted in concentration.

"Are you gonna get dressed, Posen, are you just gonna stand there and look pretty?" the brunette questioned without looking up from her occupation.

"Dressed?" Aubrey breathed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that this would fit. If not, I can take it back."

"Take it back? What do you-you bought this? Today?"

"Yeah, this is West Virginia, honey. Beckley nonetheless. Their hunting stores open at four, so I went and picked everything up. Now tell me. Are you a bow hunter or firearm hunter?"

"Uh, we only ever used guns."

"Well, you're gonna learn today. I'm an archer."

"You don't like guns?"

"Oh, I did, but then Benji coerced me into watching Lord of the Rings with him, and that elf is awesome, so now I love the bow."

Aubrey giggled. "That's the best reasoning I've ever heard."

"Isn't it though? Now go on. Get ready. I picked up breakfast and made coffee. We have all day to hunt then tonight, we go back down the mountain to have dinner with Chuck and his family."

"His family?"

"Yeah, his wife Lina owns a bar and grill, and she wants us to come down. I ran into her in town this morning. She was just closing up shop, and she opens again at noon."

"She closes that late?"

"Well, no, not usually. Just on Fridays. They usually shut down at about one or two."

"Oh, okay."

"Don't worry, Bree, they're great people, and they're like the secret tribe of the mountains. They won't judge anything, and they're gonna love you."

Aubrey smiled, letting herself ease up before dressing in the outfit that Beca had picked up. To her surprise, it fit perfectly.

"Have you been sizing me up, Mitchell?" she asked with a smirk.

"For like the last six months, Posen, couldn't you tell?" Beca shot back instantly.

"At least you're honest."

"At least you're nice to look at."

Beca was up against the wall in a flash, Aubrey's body pressed flush against her. She gasped in shock before taking in the devilish smirk on the other woman's face and matching it. Beca surged forward, their lips colliding.

"This is my reward for complimenting you?" she asked. "Get ready to be flattered."

"Bring home the bacon tonight, Mitchell, and you will be thoroughly rewarded," Aubrey husked.

Beca quirked an eyebrow. "Elk don't make bacon."

Aubrey pursed her lips, releasing the brunette subtly and stepping away. Beca groaned at the loss of contact."Okay. Forget the reward then. That's fine."

"No, no, no! I lied! They so totally make bacon!"

Aubrey smirked. "Come on, Hobbit. Let's go eat breakfast."

"Did you restore the reward?"

"I'll consider it."

Once breakfast was out of the way and coffee had been drunk to their heart's content, Beca led the way out of the house and into the maze of trees just as the sun peaked over the mountains. The entire forest was frosted in glistening white, ice crunching beneath their boots. The first task of the morning outdoors was teaching Aubrey the basics of the bow.

"It's not too different from a rifle if you really look at it," Beca whispered. "You still have to load, cock, aim and pull the trigger in a sense."

Aubrey was fully focused on learning the craft, and Beca could not hide the smirk on her face. It was not surprising in the slightest that perfectionist Posen was determined to get it right. Beca admired it of course, but ribbing was her forte. This only pushed Aubrey further to master the shot.

Once they went through the form and the motions, Beca at last allowed Aubrey to take an actual arrow and shoot at the tree trunk that Beca chose. Four shots were fruitless, and the blonde was quickly becoming frustrated. Beca stepped behind her, hands lightly rested on her biceps.

"Baby," she breathed, the warmth tickling Aubrey's ear. "Just relax. You're trying too hard, and you're jerking your shoulder back. I know they do that in the movies, but they lied to you." She chuckled softly as Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Anyway, just keep everything steady, relax your shoulders, pull back and let it go. All you have to do is let-go."

It was one thing that Beca had taught her in so many more instances aside from hunting. Letting go had never been a possible feat for Aubrey before the DJ came along, and she supposed that she would have to get used to it becoming a moral in their relationship. Beca's hands slid down to bracket her hips as she took aim again. With a deep breath, she dropped her shoulders into a comfortable position. She aimed then, without moving anything apart from her fingers, she let go. The whoosh of the arrow cut through the silence before spearing the trunk twenty yards away. Aubrey smiled triumphantly as Beca pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Beautiful," she assured her. "Now come on."

To find that Shawn Abram had littered the forest with blinds was intriguing. Aubrey should not have been surprised. Judging by the countless accolades in the den, they were avid hunters. Their dedication was proven in that room alone, so as Beca led her up a ladder that she would have missed had she not been with the brunette, she took it as an ode to their passion. They settled into the blind, overlooking the forest floor beneath. It was a comfortable silence, Beca passing over the thermos full of extra coffee. They saw a few doe and cows cruise through the clearing but nothing more. As the morning lightened, Beca felt a small smile creep onto her face.

"My great-grandpa bought a bunch of land up here like over a hundred years ago," Beca whispered. "West Virginia was barely a state. They've had this cabin up here forever, and my grandpa Shawn renovated it when they gave it to him. The hunting room was the first room they had aside from the bedrooms. Grandpa Shawn pretty much built the whole thing himself."

"That's amazing," Aubrey whispered back. "It's a lovely place."

Before Beca could continue the tale, they heard the snap of a twig below. They carefully peered out to distinguish the makings of a large figure approaching through the fog. The moment Beca could make out the rack, she turned to Aubrey.

"You're up, Babe," she mouthed, and Aubrey nodded.

The blonde carefully stood, taking her bow and an arrow from her quiver. The massive elk stepped into the clearing a few minutes later, head bowed as his hooves fell heavy beneath him. Aubrey allowed him to become comfortable in the location, patiently awaiting the time to strike. As the large animal changed directions, Aubrey pulled back on her line. She relaxed her shoulders, lips pursed, and she held steady as her fingers released the arrow. It cut through the air, but it narrowly missed the Elk, flying beneath it. Before the animal had a chance to dart out of the clearing however, another whoosh echoed and an arrow speared it right behind the shoulder blade where its heart would be. It ran a few feet before collapsing behind the blind. Aubrey was in awe, slowly turning to find Beca beside her with her bow still poised from the shot. She lowered it slowly and looked over at Aubrey.

"How did you-did you expect me to miss?" she gasped.

"No, but I saw your shoulder rise at the last minute, and I couldn't stop you," Beca explained with a grin. "Don't worry, honey. I'll give you the next one."

The day ended up productive, Aubrey successful taking down a smaller deer, and Beca assured her that a smaller target was harder to hit. After a few pictures, they dragged their game back to the hunting shed, Beca opening it up to reveal what appeared as a workshop. Various blades lined the wall, and another door sat at the back of the room which led into the freezer. Aubrey watched as Beca efficiently dismembered the two animals, setting aside the scalp and rack while skinning them and tending to the meat. She went through it step by step, and the blonde was amazed by her knowledge.

"How do you remember all of that?" she asked.

"It's a really vivid memory," Beca replied. "We did it so much that it was sort of drilled in here." She pointed to her temple. "I never forgot. I learned young."

"You don't have any cousins or anything?"

"Well my dad has siblings, but I never met them, and my mom was an only child. Yet, you'll meet the closest thing I have to real relatives tonight."

"Wow, this is-wow."

"I'll add that to the small tally of times I made you speechless." She smirked.

"It doesn't happen often. Savor it."

"Oh, I do. By the way, this is a good buck, Babe." She surveyed the animal before her. "I'm really proud of you."

And Aubrey's heart swelled at that one little phrase because once again, it was one that was all too foreign to her. A grin subconsciously spread across her face before memories of times when that phrase went absent flowed through her mind.

* * *

_"Daddy, I rode the bike all by myself! Did you see!"_

_"Now take off the training wheels, Aubrey, and see how well you've really mastered it."_

_"Daddy, Daddy, they put me in the gifted program in school! They said I'm really smart!"_

_"The gifted program is a joke to enroll students in and keep them occupied. I would hardly call that an accomplishment. You should be skipping grades not being thrust into special programs."_

_"Daddy, Daddy, I did it! I got the New York Times scholarship!"_

_Thomas did not even offer a glance. "No need to get excited about a handout. However, you better use it wisely. Getting a scholarship is one thing. Capitalizing on a handout is an entirely different entity."_

"Daddy, I made the dean's list!"

_"It's freshman year, Aubrey. Make that list during your doctorate's program, and that may be worth a cry of victory."_

"Daddy, I made the dean's list again, and I'll be getting my doctorate's this year. Can you believe it? Twenty one, and I'll be graduating."

_"Do not get ahead of yourself, Aubrey. You are acting like a timid child. Posens are accustomed to such accomplishments. Do not overestimate them. You have to find a career now."_

"Daddy, I took the job at Barden. As the philosophy teacher. It was always most challenging, and now I can-"

_"Philosophy?" He scoffed. "That is hardly an honorable subject. What sort of career comes out of such a subject? I hope you know what you're doing. You're belittling your intelligence. And mine."_

* * *

"Hey," Beca voice broke through her reverie.

Aubrey's eyes snapped up to see a blurry Beca standing before her, worry and concern in her own stormy blue eyes. The pads of the brunette's thumbs swiped lightly at her cheeks. When had she begun to cry?

"Baby, what's wrong?" Beca asked. "Are you against animal cruelty?"

Aubrey laughed bitterly. "No, I-it's just-I-no one's ever said that before."

"Animal cruelty?" Beca was genuinely confused now.

"That they're proud of me."

Beca's heart shattered at this revelation, her eyes instantly glossing over as she threw off her gloves and pulled the blonde into a tight embrace.

"You're making it really, really hard not to want to punch your dad in the throat," she breathed, and Aubrey's breathy giggle was earned. "Baby, I am so proud of you for all that you have accomplished. Your determination and perseverance is unmatched even in things that you really don't enjoy, and you constantly make me proud because you're finally being you, and I love you. The real you. Don't ever think you're not worth it because you are, and that douchebag should be the proudest man on Earth. If not, then I'm the proudest on Earth because you are amazing. If I can say that after how we started off, then it can only be the truth."

Aubrey pulled back slightly to stare into those calming blue eyes. "I love you, Beca."

"I love you too, Aubrey."


	12. Prepped for War

**_A/N: You guys are amazing! Thanks for staying with me! So with football season, Ive gone back to contemplating the sequel to Rebel with a , Im working on ANOTHER sequel to ANOTHER story though I will not yet release which. Aside from that, thank you for all of your support. so ive been reading a few random fics here and there, and its funny because i have my sister into it now, and she's older than me. So she wanted me to ask, how do you feel about the characters when they're portrayed as transgender and things like that? My sister is, and she asked if that's something that's depicted. we found a few but not many, and im all for filling voids so let me know. thanks_**

**_Song: Broken-Seether ft. Amy Lee_**

* * *

_I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh_

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away_

_I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well_

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_

_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

_The worst is over now and we can breathe again_

_I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away_

_There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight_

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open_

_And I don't feel like I am strong enough_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_

_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_

_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

* * *

Aubrey was never entirely sure when it happened. She had never given it a thought. Love was just an unattainable object that would be worked into her busy schedule when Thomas Posen felt it fit. Therefore, she didn't check out men nor women, girls nor boys as she progressed through her path of success. It was not as if it mattered. It was what her father would deem acceptable, so she did not even attempt to make a decision on the matter. There was no girl or boy, only 'the one Thomas Clifford Posen approves of'. Her first crush was of course Ashley, and she did not second guess the idea due to Ashley being a woman until she began to think 'what if?'. If she were to express her feelings to her best friend, and her best friend somehow reciprocated those feelings, that would be an easy feat in comparison to proclaiming such affairs to Thomas Posen. The idealistic joy of falling in love quickly fell away when Aubrey realized this, and she never pursued anything more than friendship with Ashley. When Dean Posen introduced Jesse Julius Swanson, a new professor at Barden wet behind the ears who had been an All-American in tennis and golf of all things, Aubrey knew what that meant. She had no courage to question it although she was aware from the beginning that it would be difficult for her to become comfortable with it. In that however, she found that titles and labels were both inconvenient and irrelevent.

She did not care what Beca was just as long as she was Beca. The brunette could have admitted she was transgender or something of the sort, and Aubrey would not even flinch. Of this, she was sure because this was her Beca. Her Beca was everything she once strived to be, all that she was scared to want, everything that she could ever need. Beca was a free spirit whereas Aubrey was a caged bird. Beca was fearless where Aubrey was cowardly. Beca was impossible to deter where Aubrey was easy to mold. Beca was dominant where Aubrey was submissive. She was the other half of Aubrey, and there was nothing in the world that could cause Aubrey to believe otherwise. Now seeing Beca with nearly no eyeliner and her hair pulled back, tucked under a beanie, she looked much different from her usual alternative character. Still, Aubrey did not see any of that. She saw the smoky blue eyes, the perpetual quirk of one side of her mouth, the carefree posture. This was her Beca, and in her Beca, she found courage.

The brunette pulled into the lot of a large wooden structure, the face of it laden with large windows and a porch fronting the door. "Lina's Sports Bar and Grill" was what was spelled out on the large sign above the canopy shielding the door. The loud chatter could be heard from within, and Beca grinned. As usual, she was out of the car and opening Aubrey's door before the blonde could think. She took Beca's hand with a smile and followed the brunette inside. They headed to the back, and they were met by a table with a chorus of "There she is!" and "Becs!" Men and women stood to give the brunette a huge hug. The men were giants even to Aubrey, and Beca only barely reached their stomachs if that. Aubrey internally chuckled at this. When the hugs subsided, the small brunette stepped back and took Aubrey's hand once more.

"Guys, this is Aubrey," she introduced.

"Wow, Chuck was right!" one man boomed. "She has taste!"

"Better taste than Hanna," Lina smirked, and Beca grinned. "The best thing Warren did was have this little girl."

"Aubrey," Beca went on, going around the table. "You know Chuck. This is his wife Lina, their sons Jack and Ezra, their wives Sara and Ella, my inherited Uncle David and Aunt Eleanor, and Chuck's brothers and sister Mark, Ty and Eva and her husband Clay. Then that's Claire, Mark's wife, and Ty's wife Lisa."

As they were introduced, Aubrey was pulled into an embrace by each and every one of them. It was new. Jesse and Ashley were the only ones to ever hug her, and one of them usually did so when she wanted it least. She liked this feeling of such a warm welcome however. Once they finished the pleasantries, they all settled at the table while Lina called for another few pitchers of beer.

"You like beer, right?" Chuck asked Aubrey. "You look like a wine woman."

"I can do either," Aubrey assured him, and he grinned.

"You are good, Becs." Beca chuckled as Lina filled their glasses.

"So what do you do for a living, Aubrey?" Eleanor asked.

"Uh, I-"

"She's a teacher," Beca answered proudly, taking Aubrey's hand beneath the table to calm her.

Aubrey cringed, bracing for the judgement.

"What!" Chuck roared. "How in the-hell did you get so lucky, Becs? You are too good. Well at least she can keep up with you. All that reading you used to do made _my _head hurt."

The table rumbled with laughter and nods of agreement. "Yeah, she keeps me on my toes."

Aubrey smiled now, squeezing Beca's hand as the brunette flashed her an "I told you so" look.

"So tell us then," Jack sighed. "What do you see in our little midget here? With a microscope of course."

Aubrey giggled as Beca scowled playfully at him. "Well, she's my better half, I assure you. She teaches me how to relax and not worry about the little things, how to live life."

"Really? I only like my wife because she let's me drink." The table chuckled as Sara smacked his arm.

"Well, that privilege has been revoked," she snapped with a smile.

"Aw, you know I'm only kidding, honey." He kissed her cheek, and Aubrey smiled at the display.

"Well, that's good," Chuck went on. "I'm glad that she found someone she can depend on. We haven't seen her in so long because of those hard-headed parents of hers. I love Hanna to pieces, but once she became a senator, she kinda forgot where she came from. I'm just glad that Beca remembered us."

"Yeah, but still," Lina butted in. "You're an adult now, so that means you can visit more. We would visit, you know, but running this whole damn town keeps us occupied."

"Of course," Beca chuckled. "I promise it won't be so long this time."

"Good, because you'll have no excuse if I have to hunt you down."

"Got it."

"So, are you in college then, Becs?" Ezra inquired.

"Yup," Beca huffed. "My dad showed up the day _after _my graduation to haul me off to Barden."

"I never liked the guy," Chuck grunted. "He always tried outsmarting us. I graduated from West Virginia U, you know. I'm not some idiot, but he didn't get that."

"I think he was jealous of you, Pop," Jack injected.

"It's the beard," Ezra assured him, and the others chortled.

"The fact that he was balding before the age of thirty should have said something, right?" Chuck quipped. "I'm thirty-five with a full head of hair. I'm good."

"Yes, you are, honey," Lina backed, scratching his beard.

"So, how long are you down here for, Becs?" David asked.

"Well, we don't _have_ to be back until after New Year's, but we'll see." Beca returned.

"We'll definitely have to go hunting then."

"I actually went out this morning. Got a bull and a buck. Well, I got a bull. Aubrey got a buck."  
All eyes shifted to the now blushing blonde. "Seriously? Beca, you found the needle in the haystack. She's smart, beautiful _and _she can hunt! On Abram land? That's the triple threat! You better put a ring on it! And fast!"  
It was now Beca's turn to blush, and the women giggled. "Thank you, Uncle David, I'm aware of all of that."

"I mean, seriously?" Chuck scoffed. "She was scared the day she got here because she didn't know if Aubrey here was 'into all that'. Then she gets a buck on Abram land? She's a saint."

"I'm sure you've all gotten something up there, right?" Aubrey asked, unsure of what the big deal was about what land it was on.

"Beca!" Chuck now roared. "You didn't tell her the tale!" Beca only shrugged sheepishly. "Oh, come on!"

"Hey, you guys are the ones with the curse! You tell her!"

"Okay, fine," he huffed. "Okay, so we've all been up to the cabin, right? We've all been hunting up there, but the only ones that have ever killed anything were Hanna, little Beca here which is crazy, right? Anyway, them two and then Shawn and Beca's grandmother Mary. In all of the years, they were the only ones. Right past Taylor Ridge, the one leading up to the cabin, is where our luck runs out. Not Warren or any of us have ever killed anything on Shawn's land. We rarely even see anything, and when we do, we somehow miss the shot no matter how perfect it feels. So Shawn always told us it was blessed land that only his family could kill on. We could hunt all we wanted. He always made a bet. First one of us to kill something up there gets the cabin. That's how confident he was. We never did."

"So I guess Beca's gotta give you the cabin then," Ezra chuckled.

"No, but I'll share it with her," Beca corrected, sipping her beer.

"So you're like-the second coming or something," Jack piped up. "Whatever that means. I saw it on the History Channel. You're the prophecy."  
Aubrey giggled. "I wouldn't go that far."

"They're right, Babe," Beca told her. "You're the only non-Abram to kill something up there."

"Maybe you guys are related somewhere along the-" David began, but Beca quickly cut in.

"Oh, please no! No, don't even finish that thought."

The table chuckled once more at Beca's sour expression, and Aubrey kissed her cheek softly in consolation. All in all, it was the most relaxing family dinner that Aubrey had ever attended. She knew that there were many firsts thanks to Beca, but she loved to count each and every one of them, stowing each memory safely in her mind to look back on one day and tell the tale to any avid listener.

David and Eleanor set Beca and Aubrey up with a room in their lodge for the evening. There was no way that they were letting either of them drive up the steep trail after drinking. Beca was grateful too because the snow had picked up during dinner, and you could hardly see a thing outside. The lodge was right across the street from the bar, so it was a short trip. The couple quickly settled into bed, worn out from the long day.

"So did you enjoy yourself?" Beca asked, wrapping her arms around Aubrey's waist.

The blonde nodded as she scooted back further into Beca's embrace. "They're amazing, Becs."

"Yeah, they are. I just wish they had been there when I was growing up. I wasn't old enough to understand it when we stopped coming to see them. I really didn't know where they were or how to go about contacting them with my mom gone. I didn't think they would remember me."

"They really care about you."

"Yeah, and I wish I would've understood that. I mean, I survived it and all, but having a family wouldn't have been so bad." She chuckled.

"I really appreciate you introducing me to them. Not as a prize but as your-girlfriend. You didn't mention me being a college professor and graduating early and all that."

"Jesse did that, didn't he?"

"Yeah, I was his trophy, you know."

"Baby, you are in fact a big reward, but I see you as so much more. Child genius or not, you're still my uptight pain in the ass."

Aubrey giggled, turning around to face the brunette and kissing her lips. "That's a compliment, right?"

Beca grinned. "The highest. I wouldn't trade our fights for anything."

"You just like the make up sex."

"That's just the icing on the cake. You're adorable when you're mad."

"Oh, really?"

"That wasn't a challenge. True though. The way your nose scrunches up, and you clench your fists like a little kid. Your face gets so red." She chuckled. "You do this thing where-where your leg twitches like you wanna stomp it, but you won't because it's childish. I know you wanna just strangle me, but your eyes still have that look it has when you really look at me. That look tells me that it'll all be okay because you still love me in the end. And I hate it, but I love it."

"You-you notice all that?"

"I notice everything about you. Your eyebrows always touch when you're reading. You like your glasses just below the bridge of your nose when you do. When you're grading, you shift the pen from one hand to the other as if the paper will all of a sudden get less aggravating if you hold the pen in your left hand." She chortled again as she pictured it. "When you laugh, you throw your head back like a little kid."

"I still think it's strange you think I'm funny. _He _never did."

"I find you completely amusing even when you don't mean to be. When you dance, even in the car, you always put your hands up first as if to give your hips room. When we finish making love, you always move my hair out of my face first before you move yours, so I usually do it for you. Your eyes are green not grey, but not just one green. There are several shades in there, and it's like a blur of the forest, you know. They light up when I make you happy, like really light up. They look like shiny jewels. You bite your lip when I get you excited. You always put two scoops of sugar in your coffee then the creamer then two more scoops, and you mix it in between each, but you always take a small sip of the black coffee before adding anything in."

By now, Aubrey was staring at Beca as if she had just unveiled the secrets of the universe, as if she was seeing her for the first time. Jesse had never in their three years gotten her coffee order right. He always assumed super sugary with a lot of cream. She wasn't even sure her father knew what color her eyes were. Beca now noticed the look in the blonde's eyes as she finished her evaluation.

"Is that-creepy?" Beca asked now, suddenly self-conscious and nervous.

Aubrey reached up and cupped her cheek. "That is the sweetest observation I've ever heard, Beca. I-that's never-no one-"  
Beca giggled, a cute girly giggle that she would deny up and down. "You have to stop expecting me to be like everyone else, Princess. You're going to be heavily disappointed."

"Thank God."

Aubrey nuzzled into the brunette now, and Beca held her tighter.

"Sing to me?" the blonde asked.

"Of course, Baby," Beca replied then she began to sing.

_Just a little taste won't hurt at all_

_But once I get a sip, I know I'm gonna wanna drink it gone, all gone_

_90 proof is an understatement_

_I get around you and I'm way past wasted_

_I can't think at all_

_Your mama should've named you whiskey_

_I never should've let you kiss me_

_And every time you leave it hits me_

_Your mama should've named you whiskey_

_Girl, you got a smile like a devil on my shoulder_

_Tempting me sayin', honey come over now, right now_

_I know I shouldn't wanna, but I think I'm probably gonna_

_Even though I know I'm gonna be wakin' up hurtin' in the morning_

_Shoulda come with a warning_

_Your mama should've named you whiskey_

_I never should've let you kiss me_

_Yeah, and every time you leave it hits me_

_Your mama should've named you whiskey_

_I'm addicted girl, I'm hangin on_

_I'm a fool in love, I'm long past gone_

_Yeah, so, come on_

_Your mama should've named you whiskey_

_I never should've let you kiss me_

_Oh, and every time you leave it hits me_

_Oh baby, your mama should've named you whiskey_

_I'm addicted girl, such a fool_

_I'm addicted girl_

_Such a fool_

This was the routine. It were as if everyday, Aubrey fell more in love with Beca or in love all over again. It always surprised her how many different emotions the brunette could stir up within her with the simplest of acts. It was a childish joy, and she woke up every morning looking forward to how the DJ would surprise her that day. It felt all too right, and in those same mornings, Aubrey was afraid to wake up and find that the entire endeavor had been a dream. Every day however, Beca was there, and each and every day, Aubrey became more and more comfortable with the idea of committing to a relationship with the freshman, with telling her father and facing whatever punishment it convened.

The following morning, Aubrey was up first, and she decided to turn on her phone. She found that she had an overflowing amount of text messages from both Jesse and her father. If her father was resorting to texting, she knew that he was beyond angry. There were several voice messages as well, so she knew he had in fact tried to call first. She ignored the messages of both men for the time being and opened the text from Ashley. It requested that she call, and Aubrey immediately did so.

"Hey, Bree!" the brunette chirped when she answered.

"Hey, Ash," Aubrey replied, glad the woman was in a good mood. "What's going on?"

"Well, I had our two favorite men here a couple of nights ago. Not together. At first. Your father showed up first."

"And what happened?"

"Well, I told him that you were up at my cabin. You needed to get away. He wanted to know where, but I informed him that I would not divulge that information. He continually asked. I continually denied him. He said that I was nothing but trouble and a bad influence on you then he accused us of planning to elope together." Both women giggled. "Anyway, he finally left. A few hours later, Mr. Hollywood showed up angry as all can be."

"Oh, God. What happened?"

"Well, he kept accusing me of stealing you from him. I told him that there was nothing going on between us. He told me that if it wasn't me, he knew that I knew who it was. I told him that I didn't, and he kept yelling at me, telling me to tell him where you were. I wouldn't budge. He was getting angrier, and when he put his finger in my face, I told him to leave before I cut it off. He finally left. They both came back the next day and said that I would be sorry if I didn't tell them, but I told them both that you were an adult. No crime was committed, and they couldn't intimidate me. They eventually left."

"I'm so sorry, Ash."

"It's fine, Bree. That's what best friends are for and being able to piss off Jesse was a plus."

Aubrey chortled. "You're the best."

"You know it. So how's the sweet getaway going?"

"Ashley, she is-oh, she never ceases to amaze me. The cabin is beautiful. I'll have pictures just for the two of us. She has like a whole family up here that she didn't know about. I mean, she knew them, but when her mother stopped bringing her up here, she sort of forgot. They were so nice and sweet, and this place is just stunning. You would love it."

"Aww, I'm so happy for you. That's amazing."

"She-she turned me into a softie, Ash."

Ashley giggled. "Oh, she must be the one then."

"Yeah, I'm starting to think that. It's just like-I'm brand new around her. I can really just be me, and I almost forgot who that was until now. She doesn't care how I look in the morning or how I slouch in my chair. She gave me a huge list last night of everything that she notices about me. I mean, Ash, she knows exactly how I take my coffee. Jesse never got it right, and she knows each and every detail. The whole process. I mean, oh I'm-"

"Don't pass out, Bree," she chuckled. "She sounds amazing, and you deserve it more than anyone. Just, Bree, don't let these guys get to you. When you get back, they're gonna try and break you, but listen to yourself. Beca is worth it. You have to believe in what you have."

"I know. Thanks, Ash. I'll call you soon."

"Okay, keep having fun. Take lots of pictures. Love ya."

"Love you too."

As Aubrey hung up, her phone immediately started vibrating in her hand. She saw Jesse's name flashing across the screen, and she knew that he had been calling nonstop. She ignored it, but seconds later, it was ringing again. With a sigh, she answered it.

"Aubrey, where the hell are you!" he roared before she had a chance to say a word. "You are acting childish, and you need to tell your father and I where you are! What? You just ran off, and-"

"Jesse!" Aubrey screeched just Beca walked onto the balcony, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "You listen to me, alright? You can cry to my dad all you want! I _don't_ want to be with you. I don't know what sick, twisted fantasy you have where you force a woman to be with you for the rest of her life. That's not love, Jesse, and I'm tired of you trying to force me into your little fairy tale. It's sickening. You're the childish one going to him. I knew you would, but it's still disgusting. I'm safe, I'm fine, and I'm finally able to breathe. I'm happy, and I don't want anything to do with you! Get that through your head. My dad cannot force me to be with someone I don't love!"

"Who is it, Aubrey?" His tone was hoarse now. "Just tell me who."

"Oh my God! This is why! This, Jesse! You're not listening! You don't get it. _You're _the issue here. Jesus Christ, grow a pair and get over it!"

"Your dad's gonna find out, Aubrey. He's gonna find out when he gets back from Miami after New Year's. You know, he said he thought that it was some student, and-I just think, you know. You've been so secretive with that new phone and the smiling at text messages and the night in the pub, you couldn't take your eyes off of Dr. Mitchell's daughter, and-the night you guys were in the parking lot, you were really close. I-I just-I wanna know if it's her."

"I'm done with this, Jesse. Stop calling-"

"JUST TELL ME IF IT'S HER, GOT DAMMIT!"

"Jesse, you're making a fool of yourself. Just stop."

"Did you ever love me?"

Aubrey sighed, and she knew that it was best to tell the truth now. "No, Jesse, I didn't. You were just the generic action figure that Daddy gave me and expected me to settle with."

"You're gonna lose your job over a little girl? You're a sick fucking-."

At that, she hung up, quickly turning her phone off before she could receive anymore calls. Her heart was hammering against her rib cage, rattling her nerves. The moment her phone was in her pocket, her knees buckled beneath her. Before she hit the ground, strong arms were wrapped around her and pulling her in. The sobs racked her body as Beca stroked her hair. She gripped the brunette's shirt as if her life depended on it.

"I-he's-we're-he knows," she choked out.

The moment the words fell from her lips, the vomit bubbled up in her gut. She clapped a hand to her mouth. Beca quickly grabbed the trash can stationed by the door, yanking the ashtray from the top. Aubrey buried her head into it as Beca pulled her hair back, allowing her the freedom to liberate her stomach. Beca's other hand began rubbing circles on the small of Aubrey's back. The brunette did not make a sound in the ten minutes that Aubrey lurched, and the blonde was thankful. She did not need soothing words or encouragement now. She needed that moment, and she was glad Beca understood that. When she at last finished, Beca led her inside and sat her on the bed before scurrying off to the bathroom. Aubrey heard the water turn on as she tried to calm her nerves. Her throat was raw, and her tears remained falling. Several minutes later, Beca returned. She took Aubrey's hand and led her into the large bathroom. Beca had set her toothbrush and toothpaste on the counter, and she took it eagerly. She was surprised when Beca nonchalantly brushed her teeth as well beside the blonde, and it greatly calmed her to see Beca's compassion. When they finished with that, Beca disrobed before helping Aubrey do the same then she pulled her into the massive bathtub, into her arms with the blonde's back to her front. Beca softly kissed her shoulder, running her fingers through golden locks softly. Aubrey melted into her embrace, shutting her eyes as she rested her head against the brunette's shoulder. Beca did not try to arouse or seduce her. She only strived to relax her and keep her comfortable. Beca was well aware that the blonde would talk when she was ready. She only continued gentle caresses and soft kisses.

"He knows," Aubrey finally breathed, repeating the words she had said before she began puking.

"Who knows?" Beca asked calmly.

"Jesse. He-my dad told him he thought it was a student, and Jesse brought up the night at the pub and the parking lot, and-he-he believes it's you."

"Bree, I'm not going to apologize. It wouldn't mean anything."

"I know."

"What I can tell you is that no matter what's awaiting you back home, it's awaiting me too. I'm not leaving your side. You just tell me what you wanna do. "

"Well, first, I have to talk to Dean Marshall. My dad goes back after New Year's as do the other administration heads, but Marshall usually comes back earlier. I have to tell him that-that we're together, and that you dropped my class beforehand to at least salvage some of my reputation before I decide whether or not to stay at Barden."

"That would be good."

"It's just-ugh, I've said it so many times. I-"

"I know, Bree. It's not the job. It's your dad, but judging by the man, I know for a fact that there's no getting through to him. He thinks we're still in an age where you can arrange marriages and expect everyone to be okay with it."

"Beca, he will tear us apart. I mean, not us as a couple, but he will make me seem like a monster. He'll spit on our names."

"I don't have a name, honey. I'm a freshman." This made Aubrey giggle, and Beca allowed herself to smile. "Either way, I don't care. The whole world can hate me as long as you love me."

"I do love you. I will always love you, Beca. That I do not question."

"I have another philosophy for you."

"Oh, boy. You would never guess I was the professor." Beca chuckled, splashing water at the woman before kissing her cheek. "Well what is it then, Dr. Mitchell?"

"It's from Erica Jong. It goes: 'Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it...It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is...'"

"...if you don't risk anything, you risk even more," Aubrey joined in. "Yeah, I know it."

"Yet, you still question-"

"Stop right there, Mitchell. I don't question us, not in the slightest. I knew it was going to be a fight, but it still doesn't make facing that fight any easier."

"I don't wanna say the wrong thing, so let's just enjoy this vacation as if it were our last days on Earth, and when we get back, we suit up and prepare for war."

Aubrey chortled. "Deal. I do need my soldier ready."


	13. Being Together May Tear Us Apart

**_A/N: Okay so I hope we all enjoyed the cabin getaway because soon, and Im just giving a heads up, our girls have to face the music you know. I promise though that there will be more fun and stuff like that, but it must be done before all can be at ease. So lets get on with it shall we? Oh, and the song in the last chapter that Beca sang was "Your Mama Should've Named You Whiskey" by Luke Bryan_**

**_Song: My Immortal-Evanescence _**

* * *

_I'm so tired of being here_

_Suppressed by all my childish fears_

_And if you have to leave_

_I wish that you would just leave_

_'Cause your presence still lingers here_

_And it won't leave me alone_

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase_

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I held your hand through all of these years_

_But you still have_

_All of me_

_You used to captivate me by your resonating light_

_Now I'm bound by the life you left behind_

_Your face – it haunts my once pleasant dreams_

_Your voice – it chased away all the sanity in me_

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase_

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I held your hand through all of these years_

_But you still have_

_All of me_

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone_

_But though you're still with me_

_I've been alone all along_

* * *

Aubrey awoke on Christmas morning to empty sheets the fourth time since they had arrived at the cabin. Beca had been scheduled to go on another hunting trip with Chuck and the boys that morning as part of an old tradition, so the blonde didn't think too much of it. She made her way out of bed and descended the staircase, planning to cook breakfast and make coffee for when they returned. When she entered the living room however, she gasped. Out of the window, she could see Beca standing beside a Christmas tree with Jack and Ezra, and they looked to have just finished decorating it. There were two snowmen flanking the tree, and Chuck and David were placing a plaid shirt, no doubt Beca's, on one of them as the brunette scowled at them. Aubrey quickly turned, rushing upstairs to get dressed before returning to the living room. After slipping on her boots, she opened the door and stepped outside. Chuck was the first to notice her presence, and he jabbed an elbow into Beca's side. The brunette whipped around quickly, and when she saw the blonde, she grinned widely before bounding over to her. She pressed a soft kiss to her lips, wrapping her arms around the taller woman's waist.

"Merry Christmas, Dr. Posen," she whispered.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Mitchell," Aubrey returned in the same tone.

"Merry Christmas, Aubrey!" the men all chimed, and she giggled.

"Merry Christmas, guys."

"Hey, Aubrey, come over here," Chuck beckoned.

Beca gave her a nod, releasing her, and she stepped over to where the man stood beside the plaid-clad snowman. She now noticed that there were several more snowmen scattered across the yard wearing some sort of clothing, and the one on the opposite side of the tree had on a very familiar blue blazer. The old Aubrey would have flipped out. Beca's Aubrey? She only giggled.

"How do you like our snowmen?" Jack asked, buzzing with anticipation.

"They're very stunning," she assured him with a smile.

"Even the plaid one? It looks like a dork."

They all chortled as Beca glowered at them from behind the blonde.

"That one's my favorite," Aubrey admitted, and Beca grinned smugly.

"Well, why don't you check its pocket?" Chuck suggested. "I think Becs left something in there."

Aubrey quirked an eyebrow at him, and he only grinned widely. The other man stepped away from the aforementioned snowman, idly walking around the yard. Aubrey looked over at Beca, but the brunette only shrugged, fighting off the smile trying to break out across her face. Aubrey cautiously stepped closer to the snowman and reached a tentative hand into the breast pocket. She then extracted a small velvet, black box. Her hands were already trembling as she popped the lid on it, and a gasp escaped her as her eyes discovered what was inside. It was a white gold chain with a single diamond hanging from it. She gingerly removed it from the box to further inspect it, and on the back of the plate that held the diamond, she found an engraving.

_"Falling in love consists merely in uncorking the imagination and bottling the common sense."_

Aubrey beamed at the Helen Rowland quote, pressing the back of her hand to her mouth as tears streamed down her face. Beca sidled over to her now, and the moment she was in reach, the blonde enveloped her in a crushing hug. Beca wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist instantly as the men around them threw wolf whistles and rounds of applause. When they parted, Aubrey handed Beca the necklace to clasp it along her neck. Once she did so, Aubrey embraced her once more with a peck on the lips.

"This is the best gift ever," Aubrey breathed into Beca's ear.

"Good, I'm glad," Beca returned. "That's all I wanted it to be."

"Well, I guess I can give you your gift now then."

"Oh, no, Baby, you didn't have to-"

Aubrey quickly stepped back, quirking an eyebrow at the brunette. "Really, Mitchell? You really think that works?"

"Nope, but I had to put it on the record."

Aubrey only smirked. "I'll be right back."

Aubrey was in and out of the house in a flash with a rather alarmingly large box in her hands. Beca eyed her skeptically.

"I'm going to tell you to return it, aren't I?" she asked.

"Who knows?" Aubrey shrugged. "Not like I'd listen."

"She keeps getting better!" Chuck whooped, and Beca shot a glare at him though her smirk was in its rightful place.

Beca slowly tore the wrapping paper off of the box, and when it had all been removed, she nearly fainted. Her eyes were close to popping out of her head, and her jaw was in the snow at her feet. The guys moved closer to get a look at the box.

"Aubrey, no," Beca breathed.

"I wasn't sure what to get," the blonde explained. "I mean, I just searched 'good christmas gifts for DJs', and this is what they gave me. I hope you don't have one already. I-"

"Are you kidding? Babe, this is like-I-I could never afford this out of high school. Bree," she whined. "You really shouldn't have. This is too much."

Aubrey cupped her cheeks now. "Baby, nothing is too much for you. After all that you've done to improve my life and I, nothing could ever be enough."

"This-this is a Pioneer RMX-1000 Remix Station, Babe. People kill for these! They're like a grand!"

"It came with headphones too. They're upstairs."

Beca's eyes were surely going to abandon their sockets now. "Baby, you got the limited edition! With the headphones! I-oh my gosh, I think I'm gonna faint."

"Told you that you should've got the engagement ring instead," Jack sighed, and Chuck elbowed him. "What? It's true."

"I just wanna help you make your dreams come true, Becs," Aubrey went on. "You deserve it."

Beca could say no more. Instead, she crashed her lips into Aubrey's, wrapping her arms around the woman. Aubrey took it gladly, throwing her arms around Beca's neck.

"By far, the best Christmas ever," Aubrey mumbled into the kiss.

"I concur," Beca replied with a smile.

After dinner with Chuck and the others in town, Beca and Aubrey retired to the cabin with a bottle of wine a case of beer. Beca told stories of her childhood, and Aubrey listened intently, laughing at all of the shenanigans that Beca described including the time that she punched a younger Jack in the nose for scaring her while they played hide and seek. It was a beautiful evening, and when the wine and beer were gone, they opted for a hot shower. They had played in the snow all afternoon, and Aubrey was still trying to thaw out. She pulled Beca into the shower with her, and the brunette had no objections. She pressed Aubrey against the wall immediately, fusing their lips together in a heated kiss. Her hands wandered along the blonde's toned stomach and slender curves, Aubrey's fingers tangled in brunette locks. The steaming water washed over them, but it was Beca's touch that warmed Aubrey through to the core. Beca ran her lips down to the taller woman's neck, nipping at the skin softly as Aubrey's breathing quickly became labored. The blonde gripped the brunette's waist, pulling her as close as possible to create friction. The younger teased her inner thigh, and Aubrey's nails scraped and clawed at her back fiercely.

"Beca," she gasped. "Please."

As if that were the secret password, Beca entered her, eliciting a yelp as the blonde bit down on her shoulder. The brunette plunged in and out of Aubrey's soaking folds, pushing herself flush against the elder. Red trails began appearing across the skin of Beca's back, but it was a good kind of pain as she picked up her pace. Aubrey found her lips once more, kissing her feverishly. Beca pulled her fingers out in a swift movement, and Aubrey groaned at the loss.

"Bedroom," the brunette grunted.

They must have broken the record for as fast as they made it out of the shower without killing themselves and to the closest bedroom, not bothering to even dry off. Aubrey was straddling Beca, grinding their centers together. She let out a deep moan as Beca's breathing gradually became heavier and heavier. Her nails now dug into Aubrey's hips, pressing her down harder against the brunette. Beca's hips bucked of their own accord, but she quickly grew impatient. In a flash, she had flipped them over, planting open-mouthed kisses along Aubrey's body. Aubrey grabbed her hand, forcing it down between them where she needed the DJ's fingers most.

"Mitchell," she growled, and Beca offered no further resistance.

Aubrey was back to tearing into Beca's flesh with her nails as the brunette thrust into her. She threw her head back, unrestrained screams escaping her. Her mind was much too cloudy to note the volume, but she knew that they had no reason to be quiet. There was no one within miles to hear, and she couldn't find it in herself to care regardless. Beca's lips were attached to her neck, Aubrey reaching down to grip her thighs, pulling her further inside of her.

"Beca!" she shrieked, and the DJ knew that she was close to her climax.

The DJ once again pulled out in a sudden motion, and Aubrey was about ready to tear her head off. Before she could however, she felt Beca's tongue sweep across her slit, working around her ball of nerves before moving for her entrance. Her fingers returned, sliding inside, and Aubrey was surely coming undone. Her hips thrust forward into the brunette, Aubrey's fingers scraping the shorter woman's scalp. Then Beca felt her walls enclose tightly around her tongue, a deafening scream echoing through the room. Beca allowed her to ride out her orgasm before pulling her fingers out and licking them clean. It was only a second before Aubrey jerked her upwards, capturing her lips hungrily as if to taste herself. When Beca felt Aubrey's fingers enter her, she moaned in acceptance. Aubrey's thrusts were nothing short of mad, and it did not take long at all for Beca to become unraveled after hearing all of the sounds from Aubrey. She collapsed on top of the blonde the moment she fell off of the precipice of pleasure, both panting heavily. Aubrey's hands immediately moved to push Beca's damp hair out of the way of her eyes, and Beca reached up to do the same. Aubrey smiled, realizing that Beca's observation about the event had been right.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Beca returned.

And they were the words that had Aubrey drifting off into a pleasant sleep.

Beca received a call from Chloe while she was in town buying coffee filters. They had used all of them up quickly, and Beca had left Aubrey making breakfast while she went out. The call came in the moment Beca turned her phone on at the bottom of the mountain.

"Hey, Chlo," she greeted.

"Oh, Becs, thank God!" Chloe huffed. "I hadn't heard from you. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Chlo, I'm fine. I only get signal when I come down the mountain. I'm sorry." Truth was that Beca had not turned her phone on since they had first arrived in Beckley and hadn't planned to.

"It's okay."

"So what's up? Is everything alright?"

"Well, your dad, um, I guess that he got my number from one of my professors, and-he called."

Beca's blood ran cold before completely boiling in rage. "What?"

"Yeah."

"What did he say? Chloe, he didn't insult you, did he? I swear-"

"Becs, he-he just said that he had an interesting discussion with another professor about you doing something very inappropriate. He wouldn't say what, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with you and Dr. Posen, huh?"

Beca sighed. "Yeah, probably. Dr. Swanson, Aubrey's ex-boyfriend, may have figured it out."

"Okay, well I told your dad that you were here with me, but you didn't want to speak with him. He seemed to buy it. I told him we would be back some time before New Year's, and he wants to see you then, but I mean, I can totally cover after that."

"No, we'll probably be back around the same time if not earlier. They called Aubrey too. Dean Posen assumed that there was something going on when I went to turn in my term paper. I don't know how, but Dr. Swanson then started putting the pieces together. I don't know."

"Well, Becs, whatever you need me to do, I'll do. I sort of told my older brother what happened when your dad yelled at me too. He got on the phone, told him you were staying with us and not to be calling me or you anymore."

"Well tell your older brother thank you for me. Seriously, Chloe, you are amazing."

"I told you. I have your back, Becs. So how's it going up there?"

"Aside from those phone calls, it's been amazing. The best vacation in a long time for both of us."

"I'm glad, Becs. Look, I know that it's probably going to be rocky when you get back, but we'll be there for you. Just know that."

"I know. It means more than I can ever say, but I hope your Christmas present suffices."

"Aw, Becs. You didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did, Chloe. You're doing too much for me. I got all of you something."

"Well, thank you, and at least now it won't be awkward when I give you yours."

Beca chuckled. "I should've known, Beale."

"Yeah, you should've."

"How's Tom?"

"He's good. He's out playing football with the boys."

"Well that's good."

"Okay, Becs, I'll let you go, but keep me in the loop, okay?"

"Okay, I will."

"Be safe."

"You too, Red."

When Beca returned to the cabin, she allowed them to get through breakfast before she informed Aubrey of her call with Chloe. Beca was beyond relieved when the the blonde remained calm about the entire thing, but the DJ could see it in her eyes that she was far from it.

"Babe?" she called after a prolonged silence.

"We'll go back the thirtieth," Aubrey concluded in a sharp tone.

"Okay. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm going with you to talk to the dean."

"Beca, I don't-"

"Nope, I am. He'll wanna question me anyway. Might as well go together. Moral support."

Aubrey only nodded then, aware that there was no dissuading the brunette. Beca continued to eye her warily, watching as the tension gradually returned to the blonde's muscles. Beca understood that it was weighing down on her, and the brunette was beginning to feel helpless. She could only pray that one day, this would get better. This would all pay off. As per her duty, she stepped behind the blonde and began rubbing her shoulders softly.

"Baby, it's all going to work out," Beca coaxed, but this did not elicit the desired reaction.

These soothing words set Aubrey off in record time. She threw off Beca's hands subtly, causing the brunette to jump back. The blonde turned around, eyes flashing dangerously as Beca gathered her composure.

"Stop-saying that!" she screeched, Beca's jaw tightening. "I don't want to hear that it's going to be okay! No matter which way it goes, it isn't going to be okay!"

"If you let it-"

"Do not fuckin' try and make this my fault! Why! Why did you have to come!"

"Wh-what?" Of all things, Beca never expected that. "I thought we were past-"

"You couldn't just let me be! You couldn't just stay away!"

Beca scoffed now. "Oh, because you were so happy before!"

"But I was better off!"

"Settling for everlasting misery sure sounds that way."

"Stop condescending me! You couldn't just let me be! I would have been fine!"

"You know what, Aubrey? You're right. You would've been. You would never have known what it was like to be loved for real and to love truly, and you could've settled because you had nothing to compare it to. For that, I'm sorry if this is what I get for trying. Whenever you're ready to go back, we'll go."

With that, Beca walked out of the kitchen and out of the house. She resigned to the roof, taking a seat near the west end where she had a view of the river. She and Aubrey had gone fishing a few mornings prior, bringing home a bucket full of fish. She breathed in the cool air around her, slumping back in the chair to get comfortable as her mind began to speed up. In all of their arguments and disagreements, Aubrey had never resorted to such accusations, and it was alarming. It gave Beca the insinuation that she may be in it alone, that Aubrey may not be in it with her. There was a chance that she could lose, but in all of their time together, Aubrey had only ever given her hope. That hope had been continually fortified, but today, that same hope had been significantly diminished.

It had been a long time since Beca had doubted herself, a trait that disappeared after going to Barden. Yet, here she was, completely unsure of herself and her heart. She knew that the blonde was only mad, but it did not soothe the pain at all. The words still cut deep, and Beca almost regretted ever trying at all. That was terrifying. Beca Mitchell didn't live with regrets. She lived life to the fullest, not caring what anyone thought about her. It wasn't as if anyone cared. Her parents surely hadn't. To think that she may actually regret falling in love with Aubrey of all things was something that she could not handle. She could not think in such a manner. She was overreacting, and she knew it, but still. She could not help but picture how much easier life would be had she never pursued Aubrey, had she never attended Barden. It would be so much easier, and so much lonelier. The only company would be the echo of the void within her that the blonde had filled.

She was not one to go to people for help, to willingly speak about her problems, and though she had made progress during the months at Barden, she was now relapsing. She was reverting back to her shell, and now, as she contemplated going down the mountain and calling Chloe or CR or even Amy, she didn't. That was not her thing. She handled herself, and she would continue to do so. Therefore, despite the pain shooting through her chest, she would not try. She would not get angry. She would not argue anymore. The only question that now remained? Would she fight for what she held most dear, or would she, in true Mitchell fashion, run from it?

Beca had no idea how long she sat outside, but it had to have been quite awhile. She must have dozed off in that time because she opened her eyes at one point to find that night had descended upon the glade, and she was freezing. She stood up slowly, rubbing her eyes, and headed back inside. When she entered, the cabin was quiet. The clock on the wall informed her that it was just past seven. She headed upstairs, carefully opening the door to the master bedroom. It was empty. She checked the various other rooms, and in the one at the end of the hall, she found Aubrey sitting at the desk looking over a stack of papers. Beca carefully closed the door once more, and the only indication that Aubrey was aware of her presence at all was the rigidity of her body in that moment. Beca opted to take a hot shower and thaw out her hands and feet. She hummed softly, allowing the warm spray to wash away the cold in her body and wishing that it could also erode the pain. When she finished that, she went downstairs to pull some meat out. Trusting herself to make dinner, she headed out to the second floor deck and started up the grill. While it heated up, she seasoned the meat thoroughly. She rushed inside and grabbed her laptop, bringing it outside to turn some music on. She had never felt more alone than she did at that moment atop that hill, but she wasn't going to emit that. As she set her iTunes on shuffle though, she realized just how many of her mixes had been inspired by the blonde, way too much. Aubrey had fused into every part of her brain, seeking refuge throughout her mind, her heart, her soul. Not a moment went by that Beca didn't think of the blonde if even only for a split second. Everything soon became a trigger, somehow reminding the brunette of her beloved. She had never listened to more love songs in her entire life than she had since the day she subconsciously fell for her Philosophy professor. After the first two mixes played through the silent night, she shut the music off and grilled in silence, a light snowfall beginning around her.

When she finished preparing and cooking all of the meat she had taken out, she returned inside due to the quickly intensifying cold. She served two plates naturally and made some tea before delivering the meal and beverage up to her counterpart. The blonde was in the same rigid position at the desk, hands tangled in her hair as she leaned over. Beca walked in quietly, setting the plate at the desk. Aubrey tensed but said nothing. Beca didn't request any sort of acknowledgement. She left immediately after delivery and went down to eat dinner alone. Their fights had never lasted this long, but Beca refused to worry about it. After she finished, she settled in the den surrounded by the mounts and weaponry and pictures of her grandparents. Pulling the fleece blanket over her, she curled up into a ball and shut her eyes, sleep coming quickly as she at last let her brain rest. Even then, tears subconsciously pooled in her eyes, falling for no one to hear on the couch.

Aubrey was stubborn. Aubrey was solid. Aubrey was never wrong. Truth was, she was wrong more often than not in one person's eyes or another's. Tonight, she was wrong in her eyes, but admitting it to herself and admitting it to Beca were two completely different entities, one of which she was not ready to endure.

She ate slowly, trying to convince her mind that work was more important than any other thoughts. In reality, she had already "graded" the papers before her more than once. At last accepting this fact, she placed her pen down, propping her elbows on the desk and rubbing her temples fiercely. Eyes closed, her hand moved down to her neck of its own accord and began fiddling with the diamond necklace there. When she could no longer take the anxiety, she pulled her phone from her pocket and turned it on, reading over the onslaught of messages awaiting her. Jesse's went from pleading to angry and back again, the same things he had said on the phone. Her father's were written in his usual sharp and stern tone.

_"This is not acceptable, Aubrey. I will not stand for this."_

_"You are making a very crucial mistake here, Aubrey. You will rue this recklessness."_

_"I need you to contact me immediately. If it is true that you have eloped with another, much less a student, your time at Barden has run its course. Own up to your actions. Posens do not run away."_

_"Aubrey, I demand that you contact me promptly. I will not tolerate this behavior."_

_"You are aware of the consequences that will follow in the wake of your actions if you choose to continue. This family will extricate you."_

If she were to allow Beca to walk away, it would be for nothing. Her father and Jesse were already against her. If she were to run back to them, it would be the most shameful act she could ever commit. Her father's pride had been inherited, and she just could not stand to admit to the man that she had been wrong. She was not. That was the truth. Not about Beca. She had not been wrong in the slightest about the brunette. Beca loved her with every fiber of her being, and anyone could see it, feel it, sense it. It was no secret. It never had been, and Beca had never attempted to make it so. Beca had been honest from the jump. Never had she second guessed her decisions because that was how the DJ was. She was free, and she was trying to help Aubrey make the great escape. Yet, the blonde continued to push and pull away. To go back to that cage and accept the fate her father had put in place for her was a terrifying idea. There was no way that she could do so. It would all be for nothing. If people were already communicating the matter, it was too late to turn back. She would have to talk to Dean Marshall before her father did. There was no other way, but she had two choices. She could endure it with Beca by her side, or she could take it on alone. Oh, the fruits of love.

Beca's eyes fluttered open. Her stomach was cold and-wet? She slowly turned her head. Moonlight seeped through the blinds across from her, illuminating only slivers of the massive den. She reached down tentatively, and her hand came in contact with something soft. She glanced down. Aubrey's head lay on her stomach, the blonde fast asleep with the remnants of tears trailing down her face to Beca's stomach. Beca's own cheeks conveyed the same evidence, and she wiped at them carefully. The blonde was sitting on the floor, slumped over where her head could lay on Beca, and the brunette almost laughed and cried all at once. She gently shook Aubrey until she began to stir. When she sat up, glancing around in confusion, Beca rose off of the couch. She took Aubrey's hands, pulling her up before taking the woman into her arms like a bride and carrying her up the stairs. Aubrey's head now rest on her shoulder, hand clutching the DJ's t-shirt.

"Don't leave me," Aubrey gasped.

"Never," Beca returned hoarsely.

When they made it into bed, the blonde curled into Beca's side.

"I'm sorry," the blonde now breathed. "I was wrong. I admit it."

"No, I was," Beca returned, and Aubrey tensed.

"I messed everything up, didn't I? I didn't mean what I said. I was-"

"Okay, maybe I was wrong for pursuing you in the first place, but I don't regret it. What I mean is that I was wrong for saying it would be okay when we both know it won't be. I just want you to be happy, Aubrey. I could never make my dad proud, not proud enough to stay. I wouldn't know how important that is. If it's important to you though, it's important to me, and you can stay. I'll go, and you won't-"

"Beca, please don't. I can't. Just please. They all know, and that's fine, and I have to face it, but I don't want to face it alone."

"And you won't have to. I told you that, Bree. I just feel like you're underestimating me. You think I'm intimidated by deans and doctors and Warren Mitchell. If that was the case, we would not be here right now. The only mistake I made was playing too close when Jesse was around, but I don't care because I know had I been any further, you never would have admitting to seeing it."

"I just-I don't know if I can do this. I know there will be ultimatums and threats and-"

"Aubrey, whatever you feel you have to do, I won't question it. If your dad gives you another chance, and you wanna take it, I'll understand. I'd give anything to have the courage to give my dad a second chance or my mom. I wish they were around to show interest in it. I'm just saying that if you choose to walk away and you have nothing else, you will always have me. I-I'll marry you, and I'll take you far away from this place."

"Wh-what? You-marry me?"

"Yeah, to get rid of that stupid surname."

Beca chuckled, relieved to hear the blonde giggle as she slapped the DJ's arm. "Of course."

"No, seriously, Aubrey. I'm in love with you. You have to understand that this isn't like me, and I know it's real. I'd be running for the hills if it weren't. Even if it was half of what I admit that it is, I'd be gone. If that's what it takes, I'll do it. Anything, but I will accept any wishes you have."

"I know you will. Thank you."

"I'd never give you an ultimatum, Bree. Besides, your dad and Jesse aren't even sure it's me. If they talked to my dad, my dad talked to Chloe, and according to the Beales, I'm in Florida."

"I guess I respect Miss Beale a little more now."

Beca chortled. "Well, I'm glad because she's one of many few that would be invited to the wedding, and it isn't like she blends in."

"That I know. It's the red hair."

"Most definitely."

"We can sit her next to Chuck and Jack and Ezra."

The DJ giggled. "Yeah, then she might blend a little better."

"Beca, I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I love you. I am in love with you, and that was always the truth."

"I know, and I love you too. That's why I'm not afraid because I know that one way or another, I can make sure that you're happy, and when someone else's happiness is your happiness-"

"It's called love."

And it was the only lie that Beca would ever tell the blonde. Though she assured her that she could handle any decision, Beca knew that the decision that involved parting ways would kill her. Still, she wanted Aubrey to be happy. In the end, that was the goal. It had always been the goal. It was the intent in which she did everything that she had. She was used to people leaving in the way that Aubrey was accustomed to being her father's puppet. Only time could change that, and the clock was about to be reset, neither knowing how much more time they would be given together.


	14. Ex's and O's

**_A/N: OKay so thank you to everyone for the reviews. I really appreciate it, and the fact that you appreciate so many quotes throughout is much appreciated. This chapter is pretty much setting everything up. We have a little fun here at the end, but no big confrontation just yet so at ease lol_**

**_Song: Try-Pink _**

* * *

_Ever wonder about what he's doing?_

_How it all turned to lies?_

_Sometimes I think that it's better to never ask why_

_Funny how the heart can be deceiving_

_More than just a couple times_

_Why do we fall in love so easy?_

_Even when it's not right_

_Ever worry that it might be ruined_

_And does it make you wanna cry?_

_When you're out there doing what you're doing_

_Are you just getting by?_

_Tell me are you just getting by, by, by?_

_Where there is desire_

_There is gonna be a flame_

_Where there is a flame_

_Someone's bound to get burned_

_But just because it burns_

_Doesn't mean you're gonna die_

_You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_You gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_You gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_You gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

* * *

The drive back to Barden was both tense and comfortable, idle conversation filling gaps between Beca's iPod shuffling and periodic naps. Beckley was left with a breakfast at Lina's, bittersweet goodbyes and promises to come again soon. Mountains turned to skyscrapers, forest to industrial structures and snow to wet clay in the heart of Georgia. Aubrey had called up to the university the moment they had reliable signal, confirming that Dean Marshall had already returned as was currently on campus going over professor evaluations. Aubrey set up a meeting with the Philosophy Department head for that afternoon, and both women skillfully concealed their apprehension.

When Barden came into view just south of Atlanta, Beca's hands tightened around the steering wheel. Aubrey sat up straight in her seat in the car leading her. They had to head to the campus immediately, no time for second thoughts. When they reached the parking lot, they parked beside one another. Beca stepped out of the car first, awaiting Aubrey. When the blonde still had not exited her vehicle ten minutes later, leaving them ten minutes to get up to Dean Marshall's office, Beca strode over and opened the door. Aubrey was staring dead ahead, car still on and fingers grasping the steering wheel for dear life.

"Babe?" Beca called. "We're gonna be late."

"I-I-okay," the blonde at last huffed. "I just-"

"Hey, I'm here. We can do this. Come on."

Beca offered her hand, and Aubrey shakily took it. Beca reached up to cup her face, unaware of the pair of eyes locked on them from across the lot, eyes that had been waiting for either one's return and had by chance passed by when Aubrey's car pulled in.

"Look at me," Beca said softly, and Aubrey obliged. "I'm right here, okay? No matter what, I love you, and I'm not going anywhere as long as you'll have me."

Aubrey gripped her forearms with a nod. "I love you too."

The two then headed up to Dean Marshall's office. The secretary waved them in with a large smile, and they ascended the staircase up to the man's room. Before Aubrey could knock, the door flew open to reveal a short, stocky man with brown locks in disarray as he straightened his red tie.

"Ah, Dr. Posen," he greeted with a charming smile that put both women at ease even if only slightly. "I was just about to see if you had arrived, and-Miss Mitchell, correct? Dr. Mitchell's daughter?"

"Yes, sir," Beca nodded, shaking his outstretched hand.

"Well, come in."

The women consented, taking the two seats before the desk while Dean Marshall rounded it, sitting across from them. He folded his hands on the desk, getting comfortable before looking up at the couple. Beca fidgeted slightly while Aubrey reigned in her nerves.

"What can I help you with, Aubrey?" he asked softly, taking note of her taut posture and trying to soothe it with the use of her first name like friends.

"Well, Dean Marshall," Aubrey forced out with a smile that appeared more as a grimace. "As you were aware, Miss Mitchell was in my class last semester."

"Yes, I was aware of this."

"She dropped the class this semester."

"Oh?"

"Sir, we plan to start a relationship, but before we can do that, I need to know if it is within our code of conduct. With my father and Dr. Swanson already throwing around accusations, I need to do this right and not simply assume I'm within guidelines."

Dean Marshall leaned back in his chair now, chin resting between his fingers. "Well, Aubrey, you say that she dropped the class, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Miss Mitchell, have you declared a major yet?"

"No, sir," Beca replied quickly.

"Do you plan to?"

"Well, depending on the situation here. I had intentions to transfer schools but not because of Dr. Posen. My father and I are simply at the end of our ropes with one another, and my mother suggested a transfer."

"Senator Abram, correct?"

Beca gritted her teeth before answering. "Yes, sir."

"Well, if you were to declare a major, do you have any idea what it would be?"

"Music. Audio Production, sir."

"Well, that would be a different department. Now, Dr. Posen, the question that the board would pose first and foremost is how exactly this happened. Did you get to know each other while Miss Mitchell was in your class, or-?"

"Actually, sir," Beca now spoke up eagerly. "I've been asking Dr. Posen on dates, yes, but she has denied me. However, I am not one to be deterred so easily."

"And I found it charming," Aubrey added in, relaxing slightly.

Dean Marshall smiled now. "That's understandable. Still, you two were not involved during the semester?"

"No, sir," Aubrey replied. "Our first date would be tonight if it is allowed. We have taken the break as time to truly consider the idea."

"Now, why would Dr. Swanson and Dean Posen already have assumptions?"

"I tend to run into Dr. Posen a lot," Beca returned with a blush. "Dr. Swanson was around, and he believed that I was pursuing Dr. Posen, which I was. I'm not-good at subtle, Sir."

"So, you are no longer with Dr. Swanson, Aubrey?"

"No, Dean Marshall, but my father wants me to be. I'm not happy though, and I broke it off with him. Now he's mad, and I know that he would readily bring even just assumptions to attention in order to get back at me. He has been bitter since the break-up over a month ago, and when I refused to go with him to his family's cabin over the break, he began making threats."

"Really? Well." He sighed now, leaning forward once more. "Dean Walsh and Caine are on campus this afternoon. Let me see if they can make it over here, and we can discuss the matter."

"Surely, sir."

Two hours later, and Beca felt like a war criminal. Both she and Aubrey had been severely and elaborately interrogated by the two heads of Barden University's administrative council both together and individually. They had been asked why they liked each other, when had it begun, how had it begun, had there ever been meetings outside of class during the semester, and that of the like. Beca's term paper was even handed over to be reevaluated by Dean Marshall, but he agreed that it had been fairly graded. Beca had been much calmer than she had expected of herself. Aubrey had held on to her unyielding facade, answering the questions quickly and fully with no hesitation or doubt whatsoever portrayed. It was Aubrey that was taken in last, and Beca sat outside of the office bouncing her knee anxiously. When she could no longer sit still, she stood and began pacing the length of the hall, passing the door of the office her girlfriend was now in multiple times. As she did so, her phone began buzzing in her pocket. She quickly pulled it out and answered without a second thought.

"Hey," she breathed.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm-no, not at all. I'm freaking the fuck out!" she hissed.

"Becs, calm down. What's wrong?"

"We're down at the dean's office telling him-about us."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, they interrogated me for two hours, Chlo. Now Aubrey's in there, and she's been in there a long time, and I'm tripping out. I'm scared that Dean Posen's gonna walk in here right now or Dr. Swanson, and I don't think that I can refrain from punching him in the face any longer."

"Hey, B, calm down, okay? I just got back to town, and I'm driving on campus. Do you need me to go over there?"

"No, it's okay, Chlo. I don't need them questioning anyone else. How was your trip back? Where's Tom?"

"Oh, he came back earlier than I did. The trip was fine though. It was relaxing."

"That's good. I'm glad you made it back okay."

"Yeah, CR and Stacie are almost here, and Amy arrived earlier. We're all going down to Etta's tonight to catch up, so if all goes well, you guys should come."

"Yeah, if it goes well. I guess I-" Before Beca could go on, the door to Dean Marshall's office opened, and the two deans stepped out. "Hey, Chlo, I'll talk to you in a bit. They just came out."

"Okay, let me know how it goes."

"I will."

Beca hung up and headed back down the hall towards the office. The two deans headed down the hall, and as they passed her, they gave her a small smile. She wasn't sure how to react to that. As she neared the office, Aubrey appeared. Her lips were pursed, and her hands fiercely gripped the hem of her blazer. Beca froze. She did not like that look one bit. Aubrey turned to her subtly then, and a second later, Beca had her hands full of a blonde.

"Wh-what happened?" the DJ stammered.

"I can stay," she whispered, and Beca smiled. "They just said to be careful and not be so flamboyant about it. Not in so many words, but you know. They also said that they wouldn't tell my dad. He won't be back until next week anyway, so."

"Thank God. Well, that's one battle won."

"Trust that it's felt."

They parted, oblivious to a third presence now in the shadows of the hall, listening intently to every word.

"So then, Dr. Posen, can I take you on that date tonight? "

"And where did you suppose, Miss Mitchell?"

"Well, Chloe and the others are back, and they invited us to Etta's."

"Will I get to hear you sing?"

"I guess," Beca sighed dramatically before her face split into a grin.

"Then I'm in."

Beca then took the blonde's hand, heading out of the hall, eyes trailing them the entire way.

Beca headed off to her dorm after Aubrey left for home to unpack and settle back in. Beca had texted Chloe, CR, Stacie and Benji to have them meet her in her room if they were on campus. When she entered the room, she was tackled to the ground in a bone-crushing bear hug.

"I missed ya, Short Stack!" Amy yelled before standing and pulling Beca up with her.

"I missed you too, Amy," Beca chortled.

"How was your break?"

"It was great. I spent some time at my grandpa's cabin hunting and fishing and stuff."

"Really? You hunt?"

"Yeah, bow hunting."

"Now, that's an honorable skill, Pint Size. Although, we hunt bare-handed back home. Those crocs don't even know what hit them."

"I believe you. How was your break?"

"Eh, full of douchebag dates and tea with my mother. I guess it was alright."

As the two continued to catch up, the door opened once more, and Chloe entered followed by Stacie, CR and Benji. Chloe enveloped the DJ in a tight hug, planting kisses all over her cheeks.

"Oh, I missed you, Becs!" she squealed.

"I missed you too, Chloe," Beca replied with a chuckle. "I missed all of you."

"We missed you too," the others agreed, and hugs were traded.

"So, what are we meeting for?" CR asked though she had a knowing smirk on her face.

"Can you guys sit down please?" Beca asked, and all acquiesced quickly. "Okay, so first of all, I'm telling you this because you're my friends, and I trust you, and that means I trust that you won't start teasing me before I'm done, and you definitely will not embarrass me tonight."

"Tonight?" Stacie repeated. "Why-"

"Ah, no interrupting."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, so-today, I had a meeting with the dean about something, and that something has been passed as within the code of conduct. I-I'm in a relationship with-"

"I told you!" CR immediately shouted at groaning a Amy and Benji beside her. "Pay up!"

"No, you said that it would be sooner!" Amy pointed out.

"No, I said it would happen sooner not that she would tell us sooner. I was still right. Pay up."

CR happily took the twenty-dollar bills from of each of them, but when she looked up to see the scowl Beca was giving her, her smile faltered. She timidly stood and slipped one of the bills into the brunette's pocket, patting it before sitting back down.

"Apologies, bro," she said nervously. "Go on."

"Okay, so I guess everyone knows that I'm with Aubrey."

"Aubrey?"

"Dr. Posen."

"Told you!"

"We know!"

"Anyway," Beca pushed on. "She's coming out with us tonight, so I'm asking you to please be on your best behavior."

"Is she going to be all uptight and-"

"No, Stace, she isn't. She can joke and have fun, but don't overwhelm her. Don't point out the student-professor thing so much."

"So how did you guys get it passed?" Chloe asked now, genuinely curious.

"Well, the rule states that as long as I'm not in her class, not majoring in her department, and she's not on any board that's making a decision about me or evaluating me, it's okay. I dropped philosophy this semester, and the deans said it was within guidelines as long as we weren't overly flamboyant about it on campus."

"Thank God. I'm glad you finally did it," CR sighed, standing once more to embrace Beca.

"Thanks, CR, for helping me."

"Wait, you knew?" Stacie asked.

"Sorry, Babe, it was in the bro box."

"Yay, I can't wait for tonight!" Chloe squealed. "It's going to be so fun!"

"I hope so," Beca puffed.

* * *

Jesse had only meant to drink enough to gain some confidence for the night. After seeing Aubrey, _his _Aubrey, blatantly showing affection to that alt girl in the dean's hall earlier that day, he had no idea what to do with himself. When he heard the two agreeing to meet at Etta's, he had made plans with his buddies straightaway, unsure of the goal but not really caring. He could not believe that he had been left for this alt girl with the ear spikes and tattoos and heavy eyeliner. It was unbelievable and preposterous, and he was not about to lose his inheritance of the Posen estate without a fight. Something had to be done. He was planning on talking to Aubrey, saying all of the things she wanted to hear, and reminding her that it would benefit them both to pacify her father by any means. When he saw Aubrey walk in the door however, hand in hand with that small brunette, all logic went out the window, and he really wasn't thinking at all.

Beca led Aubrey inside to the group's usual table where Chloe, Benji, Jessica, Lily, Donald, Stacie, Amy and CR sat already. Chloe had ordered a round, and when the final couple arrived, everyone stood.

"Hi, Aubrey!" Chloe chirped first, hugging the blonde and catching her off guard. "It's nice to finally see you outside of class."

"You as well, Miss-er-Chloe," Aubrey returned with a smile. "Hello, Benji."

"Hey," the boy replied, hugging her. "You take care of my best friend, okay? I was told it's in the best friend handbook to say that."

Aubrey giggled as Beca snorted a laugh. "You would," the brunette said, bumping her best friend's fist. "Thanks for trying, Buddy."

"No problem."

"Aubrey, this is Cynthia Rose, but we call her CR."

"What's up, Girl?" CR greeted, hugging the blonde. "I'm the bro."

"That she is," Beca agreed. "Then this is her girlfriend Legs." Stacie scowled as Chloe giggled. "You can call her Stacie. And this is Benji's girlfriend, Jessica. Then this is Lily and Donald. And this is my roommate and favorite Australian, Amy."

"_Fat _Amy," the Aussie corrected as always, squeezing Aubrey.

"You call yourself-"

"Don't!" the entire group save for Amy yelped, and Aubrey quirked an eyebrow.

"I'll explain later," Beca whispered. "Just don't ask her."

Aubrey nodded, and they took a seat at the table. They talked idly about their breaks and the classes they were taking that semester. Stacie was surprisingly planning to declare her major in Physics while Cynthia Rose was planning on majoring in business. Beca already knew that Chloe was pre-med, so there was no shocker there. Both she and Benji had planned on that for many years. Beca told them that she had declared a major with the dean that day in audio production. She only left out the part about having to see Dr. Swanson more often. As if the world had read her thoughts and decided to fuck with her though, her source of instantaneous rage somehow materialized. As Beca took another shot with Amy, she looked up to see a familiar brunette stumbling onto the stage. The glass in Aubrey's hand fell onto the table with a clatter, Amy catching it before it rolled off of the table.

"What's wrong with you two?" she asked. "You look like you've seen the Crocodile Hunter's ghost or something."

Neither answered as Jesse took the microphone from the DJ.

"I-this-uh," he slurred slightly, looking more nervous than anything as Aubrey ducked her head, gripping Beca's hand. "This is to the love my life. L-love you, Bree-Bree."

Then he began singing, and three other men appeared behind them, lending background vocals. Chloe looked over at Beca nervously, but when they heard the song, the two including Amy and CR burst into unadulterated laughter while Stacie danced in her seat.

_I want to tease you_

_I want to please you _

_I want to show you baby_

_That I need you_

_I want your body_

_'Till the very last drop_

_I want you to holler_

_When you want me to stop_

_And who can love you like me (nobody)_

_Who can sex you like me (nobody)_

_Who can treat you like me now, baby (nobody)_

_Nobody, baby (nobody)_

_And who can do it like me (nobody)_

_And who can give you what you need (nobody)_

_Who can do you all night long (nobody)_

_Nobody, baby (nobody)_

What could be agreed on was that Jesse's voice wasn't bad, but it did not fit the song whatsoever especially with his slurring of the words. He was swaying from side to side, but he seemed to consistently sober, getting more into it by the moment.

"Who is this guy?" CR scoffed.

"_That's_ Dr. Swanson," Beca growled.

Benji's neck nearly snapped as she looked at the brunette. "What? The-"

"Aubrey's ex."

Everyone was at attention now, looking at Beca. They now noticed how intently Jesse was gazing in their direction, and CR was the first to feel the slight irritation of the situation. Aubrey kept her eyes down. Then Chloe smirked.

"I have an idea," the redhead whispered conspiratorially. "I'll be right back."

Once Jesse finished the first song, they immediately broke into the next song, not even waiting for music. It seemed that he had arranged an entire concert for the blonde, and the next song just about unnerved Aubrey. She no longer wanted to hear his voice at all. She had watched as Chloe rushed back to the table, pulling the others away once more immediately after. Now, Aubrey sat at the table alone beneath the unwavering gaze of her ex, and she was much too afraid to look up and find the DJ. As Jesse began singing, she pursed her lips, trying to quell her nerves and refrain from puking.

_(I don't know why, what I'm doing what I'm doing)_

_See, baby I, apologize_

_For all the things that I've done that I've done_

_See I've known that I've been a fool for far too long_

_And baby you have it, I go around to wait, just come back to papa_

_Please baby, baby won't you stay_

_If you really love me then why are you leavin me_

_I can't think, think about this crazy day_

_I lose sleep just to daydream about you babyyyyyyyy_

_I'm going crazy, crazy, crazy, just to thinkin about you lately (crazy baby)_

_I'm going crazy, crazy, crazy, just to thinkin about you baby (I don't know what to do)_

_I'm going crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, thinkin about you lately (crazy, crazy, crazy)_

_I'm going crazy, crazy, (crazy, crazy) when I can touch you_

_Crazy, crazy (I'm going crazy) when I can hold you_

_Crazy, crazy, (I'm going crazy) when I can see you again_

_(Said I'm going crazy)_

_(Said I'm going crazy)_

_I've finally realized, that you are my true love_

_And I had a lot of time to think, and you-_

Suddenly, Jesse's serenade was cut off by a very familiar, strong, sultry voice that caused Aubrey's head to pop up on instinct. What she saw at the center of the floor was startling, but it was the song now being sung up _at _the stage that had her drawn in. She couldn't help but grin as Beca cut into Jesse's song with one of her own, her friends behind her.

_You dig!_

_Ha ha ha ha_

_Turn around_

_Let me lick you from yo neck down to yo navel_

**_Cause shawty you look ready_**

_Forget the bed_

_I wanna lay your body right here on the table_

**_So just hold it steady_**

_I'll go get the camera_

_We can make a movie_

_I'm gonna put my hands up_

_Lay back while you do me_

_Jump right out the shower_

_Into the jacuzzi_

_Giving you what your body wants_

**_I'm boyfriend number 2_**

_Cause the first one he don't really_

_Seem like he know what to do_

**_I'm boyfriend number 2_**

_And I know you like it freaky_

_So am gonna give it to you_

**_I'm boyfriend number 2_**

_Baby don't fuss_

_Don't fight_

_Don't argue_

_Cause 2nd place has always got a whole lot to prove_

_So whenever you get in the mood_

_(just call me)_

**_I'm boyfriend number 2_**

By now, Jesse's jaw was on the floor as Beca kept on with the song, her group providing the background vocals. She pointed at Aubrey with a wink, and the blonde blushed. The men on stage were lost for words. Then Stacie, CR and Jessica mashed it up per Beca's request with Ne-Yo's "Let Me Love You" while Beca proceeded with the vulgar clarity that was evidently ripping Jesse's arrogant pride to shreds.

_Grab my hand_

_Ima pick you up and put you on the counter_

**_Girl you feel so sexy_**

_I'm not yo other man_

_Ima take my time and kiss all around ya_

**_Only if you let me_**

_Baby if you got a man_

_And a buddy on the side_

_Say yeah_

_Say yeah yeah yeah_

_If you be making plans_

_Cause he don't hit it right_

_Say yeah_

_I gotta couple places_

_I'm sure he don't know about_

_No familiar faces_

_You can feel free to go all out_

_I'm not afraid of doing what he doesn't do_

_I'll go get the camera_

_We can make a movie_

_I'm gonna put my hands up_

_Lay back while you do me_

_Jump right out the shower_

_Into the jacuzzi_

_Giving you what your body wants_

_I'm boyfriend number 2_

**_Girl let me love you_**

_Cause the first one he don't really_

**_And I will love you_**

_Seem like he know what to do_

**_Until you learn to love yourself_**

_I'm boyfriend number 2_

**_Girl let me love you_**

_And I know you like it freaky_

**_I know your troubles_**

_So I'm gonna give it to you_

**_Don't be afraid, girl let me help_**

_I'm boyfriend number 2_

**_Girl let me love you_**

_Baby don't fuss_

**_And I will love you_**

_Don't fight_

**_Until you learn to love yourself_**

_Don't argue_

**_Girl let me love you_**

_Cause 2nd place has always got a whole lot to prove_

**_A heart of numbness gets brought to life_**

**_I'll take you there_**

_So whenever you get in the mood_

_(just call me)_

_I'm boyfriend number 2_

When the group faded out, everyone in the pub, oblivious to the true dilemma going on, stood up and cheered for the students. Amy made a few hand gestures that Beca interpreted as "we just crushed you" while Donald and Benji bumped each of her fists.

"You're welcome," she smirked up at the stage.

It only took about six seconds from the time CR stepped away from the brunette to the time Jesse was flying off of the stage and bull rushing towards her. Donald was able to grab him and slam him to the ground before he reached her, and Benji waved for security.

"He's drunk!" Benji informed the men. "He tried to attack a woman."

They only nodded, grabbing Jesse roughly by the shoulders and dragging him out.

"This isn't over, you little dyke!" he sneered. "I'm not losing my future over some alt girl fag with her mad lib beats!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Beca was ready to rush him. Before she could however, Aubrey was in front of her cupping her cheeks.

"It's okay, Baby," she crooned. "Let him go. You won. You won, okay?"

The anger slowly dissipated from her eyes as she nodded. Aubrey pressed a kiss to the brunette's lips, and that washed all rage away instantly. Jesse's buddy Bumper passed, snarling at Aubrey, but the blonde paid him no mind.

"Sorry about that, Mitchell," Greg, the head of security, grunted when he returned. He knew the group as regulars since their first night in the place. "Drinks are on me. You guys sit back down and relax."

"Thanks, Greg," Beca replied before taking Aubrey's hand and leading her back to the table.

When they were seated once more, Beca gave Aubrey's hand a squeeze, and the blonde pecked her cheek. No one spoke as the waitress delivered drinks, but when she walked away, everyone save for Beca and Aubrey burst into laughter.

"That-was-awesome!" Chloe gushed.

"Yeah, Short Stack, I think you took his manhood, and grew a pair of your own," Amy chortled.

"Leave it up to the alt girl with mad lib beats to show up the music professor," Benji sighed.

Beca and Aubrey joined in the laughter now as well, and for the time being, Aubrey forgot about the ensuing confrontation with her father. She allowed herself to feel at ease in her newly official relationship with the one and only Beca Mitchell. As she glanced over at her girlfriend, her heart warmed. She was a rebel. She was unorthodox. She didn't give a damn half of the time, but she loved Aubrey with everything she had, and that was one thing that Aubrey had never been able to say. Hearing Jesse sing his heart out to her had not effected her in the slightest. It made no difference. No matter how perfect he was in society's eyes, he would never be the one for her. It wasn't because he wasn't a woman or he wasn't good looking or he wasn't charming or sweet. It wasn't because he couldn't sing or cook because he could. None of these attributes were the reason for Aubrey's rejection of him. The single reason was simple. He simply was not Beca. What that entailed was so much more than Aubrey could ever put into words and explain to anyone. It had never been Jesse. It had always been Beca long before the brunette waltzed into her classroom that first time, waltzed into her life. Their paths were always meant to cross, and Aubrey now knew that happiness was not a figment of her imagination. It was not a concept that had been written by Thomas Clifford Posen. Happiness had been waiting for her all along in the form of a miniature brunette with ear monstrosities and oversized headphones. Her knight didn't wear shining armor. She wore skinny jeans, chucks and plaid button-ups. Those stormy blue eyes were all that need be seen to know that Aubrey had at last made the right choice all on her own, and no doubt could be forged in her mind. Love was not a blueprint that only her father could draw up. Love was not a blueprint at all. It was not pragmatic or sensible or logical, and in that lay the beauty of it all. Love was nothing that could be made by man or forcibly built. Love was a spontaneous phenomenon that did not happen often, but when it did, it left an everlasting impression. Love was the goal, the reward, and Beca Mitchell was the personification, the epitome of everything that love was cracked up to be. Beca Mitchell, _her _Beca Mitchell, was worth fighting for, and Aubrey would be prepped and ready for war.


	15. We Own The Night

**_A/N: So hey guys Im really glad that everyone has been quoting the stories lol. This is probably my most philosophical and intellectual writing. Ironic, right? Lol anyway, I'm glad everyone's liking it. so the plot thickens. we have some steps to take here in this chapter to set up everything for the long run. Its a good night out and a little more fluff if you will. I decided also to add a little quote to the end of each chapter, so Here goes!_**

**_Song: Over My Head (Cable Car)-The Fray _**

* * *

_I never knew_

_I never knew that everything was falling through_

_That everyone I knew was waiting on a cue_

_To turn and run when all I needed was the truth_

_But that's how it's got to be_

_It's coming down to nothing more than apathy_

_I'd rather run the other way than stay and see_

_The smoke and who's still standing when it clears_

_Let's rearrange_

_I wish you were a stranger I could disengage_

_Just say that we agree and then never change_

_Soften a bit until we all just get along_

_But that's disregard_

_Find another friend and you discard_

_As you lose the argument in a cable car_

_Hanging above as the canyon comes between_

_And suddenly I become a part of your past_

_I'm becoming the part that don't last_

_I'm losing you and it's effortless_

_Without a sound we lose sight of the ground_

_In the throw around_

_Never thought that you wanted to bring it down_

_I won't let it go down till we torch it ourselves_

_Everyone knows_

_She's on your mind_

_Everyone knows I'm in over my head_

_I'm in over my head_

_I'm over my..._

_Everyone knows I'm in_

_Over my head_

_Over my head_

_With eight seconds left in overtime_

_She's on your mind_

_She's on your mind_

* * *

School began, and Aubrey had yet to see her father. It was later revealed that he and the Dean of Medicine had been sent to a conference in Chicago, and no one had any idea how much of a relief that was. She was at Ashley's most nights, and she and Beca were at the Abram house on the weekends. For New Year's, the group had packed up several ice chests full of alcohol and thrown their own party out in the hills just south of Barden. Beca's last kiss of the year and first kiss of the year were shared with Aubrey and vice versa, and they would have it no other way. Beca too had been able to avoid Dr. Mitchell with the help of her friends and roommates. Amy had already warned him that if he continually walked into _her _room without an invite, she would plead harassment. It was a nice routine that had the DJ feeling much better about staying at Barden in the interim, and even now with three classes in the Music building, she had not been lucky enough to see Jesse again.

In the light of everything, Beca was working hard on her mixes with Luke requesting more from her. Her classes were going well, and Aubrey helped where she could. They didn't spend time together on campus, keeping the whispers and gossip to the absolute minimum. Aubrey knew that "shunning the Posen name" would only further infuriate her father, and that was not the goal. Still, they had breakfasts together or lunches. Aubrey would accompany them to Etta's. It was a nice change from only going on dates with Jesse or going with his idiotic buddies like Bumper. She thoroughly enjoyed their nights out, and she had come to find that Beca's group of friends, with all of their oddball quirks and misfit appearances, were all really amazing people. Amy never failed to put her in side-splitting laughter. Stacie, who she at first wondered how low her IQ score actually was, turned out to be insanely intelligent. Cynthia Rose was very outspoken about real-world issues, and it was intriguing. Luke was also found to be much more than a pretty boy, and his extensive music knowledge had really fortified a bond between him and Beca. He hung out with them too when he had the chance. Aubrey also began to understand why Chloe and Beca were so close while also easing her apprehension towards the redhead. In the way that Beca was all that Aubrey was not, Chloe was all that they were not. She was bright and bubbly, happy and overly excited about the most minute things. She carried sunshine in her eyes, and she was all around friendly to everyone. Aubrey had even met Tom, and though he came off as the typical frat boy douchebag at first glance, he had his more substantial qualities. Ashley had come along on a few occasions as well, and the group took her in immediately. She and Chloe were so alike that it was crazy, and they talked and babbled the night away. No one judged Aubrey nor Beca. No one spoke about it outside of the group or mentioned it whatsoever. Aubrey was simply Beca's significant other and their friend, nothing more and nothing less. Beca and Aubrey, seeing the most important aspects of their lives fused together, could not be happier. Sure, they had many obstacles still to face, but Aubrey had learned from the brunette one important code. Live in the moment because worry was a form of counter production.

For Aubrey to reflect on the countless amount of lessons that the petite DJ had taught her was quite the endeavor. Looking back on each and every word that had been engraved in her mind from the time that it fell from Beca's lips, she found just how much of that had made an impact. It were as if the brunette had written her own philosophy complete with scripture for every single event, every occurrence, every hurdle. No matter what Aubrey went through, Beca had some words of encouragement to go by. Looking past the exterior, Aubrey always felt overwhelmed with just how amazing falling in love was, but the more amazing happening was falling in love with Beca Mitchell.

Tonight, they were playing cards at Luke's off-campus apartment, and Cynthia Rose was tearing them apart. Beca had made the mistake of calling her bluff, or so that's what Beca thought she was doing, and upping her three shots. Cynthia Rose beat her hand, and Beca was up to take six straight shots of some Japanese liquor that Lily had brought from her trip to the country over break. Beca outed herself after that, and she was pretty sure that she was going blind.

"Don't worry," Lily whispered. "That's normal."

Beca only nodded. Soon, she gained her senses back again, and she was beginning to believe that the liquor was more of a narcotic with its twenty-minute buzz. Aubrey chuckled, kissing the brunette on the cheek as Luke prepared to deal again. Everyone was already half past wasted however, and they stopped him from another round.

"B, put some fresh tunes on," Luke instructed.

Beca nodded, pulling her iPod out and heading for the stereo. Aubrey stepped out onto the balcony for some fresh air while she did so, looking down over the quiet night with a small smile on her face as her fingers found the diamond necklace on her neck as it did throughout each day since the pendant had been clasped around her neck. She heard the door open and close behind her, and seconds later, she saw a flash of red hair beside her.

"It's nice out," Chloe sighed contentedly, hands clasped and resting on the balcony.

"Yeah, it is," Aubrey returned, looking up at the sky.

"So, you really thought that Beca and I were dating before?"  
Aubrey giggled, and Chloe joined in. "I really didn't know what to think. Dr. Mitchell interpreted my observations in the way he felt necessary."

"Well, I get it. I'm a touchy-feely kind of person."

"I see that."

"Can I-say thank you?"

Aubrey looked over at her now, quirking an eyebrow. "For?"

"Well, from the time I met Beca, I was drawn to her. I mean, not in a romantic way, but I liked her. I wanted to be close to her, and now I am, but-I know that she's not like me. She's closed off and cynical most of the time. She pushes people away, but somehow, you managed to get in, to open her up. It's nice seeing her smile, like really smile."

"Well, trust that it is only because I am just as stubborn as she is."

Chloe chortled. "Still, regardless of the reason. I know that I still don't know much about her, but I know that she's my friend, and I love her no matter what. Even when she didn't reveal things to me, she taught me that the past didn't matter. She showed us who she was now, and beneath the badass reputation is someone with a heart much too big for this world."

"I know, and to be honest, I was a bit jealous of you at first." They shared another giggle. "The thing is, Chloe, you're a beautiful young woman. I'm sure that many would be happy to have a chance with you. To everyone around me, I was always just the uptight child genius that thought she was better than everyone. In reality, I was just a bird in a cage doing only the things that my father dictated, and I would have loved to be as comfortable as you in my own skin. I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I feel I can trust you. You did after all protect us."

"I always will. You're with Beca, Aubrey. That makes you my friend too, and I always protect my friends."

"Thank you." Aubrey smiled. "What Beca taught me though was that even the most bent and broken can be beautiful again. She's been through so much, and still, she always looks after me. You would never know we were so far apart in age." Aubrey chuckled now. "She is so smart. Obviously, you saw the way she challenged me all of the time."

Chloe giggled. "Yeah, we all did. She's shifty."

"She's brilliant though, and I know that she downplays her intelligence because her father wasn't there to tell her how important it was. To my father, that was all that mattered. What I'm saying is that I've been given a completely new outlook on life, and I can see clearer than I've ever been able to. All because of her."

"Well, I'm glad. I know that you two are good for each other, and I just want to see her happy. Make no mistake though, Dr. Posen, if you hurt her in any way whatsoever, I'm coming after you, and I'm bringing Lily with me."

Aubrey chuckled, but the thought of the mysterious Asian made her shudder slightly. "Okay, duly noted. I promise I will not hurt her."

Meanwhile, another best friend heart-to-heart was taking place on the couch in the living room. Ashley looked over at Beca with a soft smile as the brunette fiddled with her bottle cap.

"Beca?" she called, breaking the girl from her trance.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Ashley," Beca replied with a goofy, lopsided grin.

"Are you okay?" Ashley giggled.

"Yeah, I'm great. I've never been better."

"Looks that way."

"Where's Aubrey?"

"I think she's out on the terrace."

"Oh." Beca moved as if she was about to stand, but her dizziness sat her right back down.

"Hey, easy there. She'll be in soon." Beca nodded, her head lolling back. "You really love her, don't you?"

Beca chuckled. "You know, every time someone asks that question, it still tickles me. I-I don't know how it happened, but yeah. I love her more than anything."

"Is it that weird?"

"Yeah, it is. Not loving Aubrey. I could give you a million reasons why it's easy to love Aubrey. I mean, of course there are just as many reasons to want to hate her, but hate is nothing without love, right?"

Ashley grinned. "Right."

"Well, love is the weird thing. I never thought in a million years that I'd fall in love. I never thought that in two million years that I'd actually pursue it. Willingly. Had it been anyone else, after being rejected the first time, I would've flipped the bird and walked away. Not Aubrey."  
Ashley's grin only widened. "Thank you for not giving up on her. I've known her ten years, you know. I'm older, but she's so much wiser. She's gone through so much that it's scary, and I always tried to help her, but there were just some things that I couldn't help her with. I couldn't make her see that Jesse wasn't the one for her, that her father was controlling her life for his own selfish reasons. I couldn't even get her to admit that she hated teaching, and now, she's this-free spirit that smiles and laughs all the time, and-"

"She's not puking as much anymore."

Ashley giggled. "Exactly. All because of you, Beca. You should be proud."

"I am, and I know that in the end, nothing can come between us. They can try, but we won't let them. I'll take on the world for that woman. If someone came and took everything from me right now. If they took my music, my knowledge, my ability to become wealthy, all of it. If they took it all and left only Aubrey, I would happy."

"She's really lucky to have you."

"Oh, I'm the lucky one, but don't tell her that. I'll never live it down."

Ashley chuckled, swatting Beca's arm playfully just as Aubrey and Chloe entered the room, the blonde with a smirk.

"You were talking about me, weren't you?" she asked.

"So were you!" Beca retorted.

Aubrey sat beside the brunette, curling into her side. "So?"

"Okay then. So?"

"Ugh, you drive me crazy, Mitchell."

"Well, now we're even because I'm crazy about you, Posen."

Chloe and Ashley watched on with wide grins, because they knew. These two women before them had never experienced love, and they had in time become the very definition of its truest form. They had endured much, and they deserved to be happy more than anyone. Seeing them so content warmed the heart, and Ashley knew then and there that, after fighting for so long, Aubrey was going to be okay. She no longer had to fight alone. She had let someone in, deeper in than she had let Ashley. She had allowed someone to reach her heart and repair the damage it had ventured through for far too long. In that moment, they knew that all would be okay because they were not alone. Aubrey had never allowed anyone to prove her wrong, to point out her true flaws while she allowed Thomas Posen to fabricate them, to convince her that her pros were her cons and so on and so forth. She had been brainwashed. She had been living backwards, and it had been Beca to turn it around. For that, Ashley was forever grateful. She only hoped that Aubrey would not take it for granted.

* * *

Luke called Beca into the booth the moment she entered the station on Tuesday afternoon. She stepped inside, setting her bag down and taking the seat beside Luke while he queued up a few songs on the playlist.

"What's up?" she asked when he finally turned to her.

"So, a few major stations in the area requested your mixes," he began with a smile. "I sent a few out, and they loved it. A buddy of mine at a club in Atlanta really loved your stuff. He wants you to spin at their first big event of the year. They have a lot of themed parties down there, and he loved the dubstep stuff you put together, so next Friday, he's offering a gig. You'll be paid and everything. If you're good with that, we can meet him tomorrow night to go over the contract."

"What? Really?"

He chuckled at her surprise. "Yes, really, B. I told you. You're sick."

"Yeah, of course I'm down."

"Okay, so after your shift tomorrow night, we'll head over there. You can have a guest list of ten, so I'd assume you would want the others on it as well."

"Of course."

"It's an 18+ event, and it's a glow stick theme."

Beca chortled, thinking back to Chloe's avid love of the concept. "Chloe will love that."

"Okay, well then let's show 'em Barden's finest, alright?"

"Thanks, Luke."

"You earned it, B. I'm just sorry it took me so long to see that."

"All is forgiven."

When Beca told Aubrey of the gig, she was ecstatic, but she had nothing on the victory dance that Cynthia Rose did when she found out. Chloe nearly broke Beca's spine with how tightly she hugged the brunette upon hearing the news especially the part about it being a glow stick theme. Beca was over the moon with excitement, and the meeting with the club owner went exceptionally well. Luke had neglected to tell Beca that the gig was at DV8, one of Atlanta's most prestigious 18+ clubs and a hometown favorite for many stars. He was paying a few hundred for the gig, and Beca could not believe it. Sure, she had money in her account, a whopping amount courtesy of Senator Abram, but making her own money doing what she had always wanted to do was by far her biggest accomplishment to date. The club owner proceeded to praise her for over fifteen minutes on the tracks that he had heard, and he could not wait to see what else she had in store. She left the club feeling confident and determined to blow the man away. However, when she reached campus, she was met with a buzz kill of a sight approaching her parking space. She sighed, sending a quick text out before stepping out of her car. The smirk fell to a frown, eyebrows knitting together, jaw clenching. She crossed her arms over her chest, awaiting the event to begin.

"Where have you been?" Warren asked in a sharp tone just above a whisper.

"Around," Beca shot back, leaning against her car.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Wasting my time here with you."

"Beca."

"Warren."

"Can you ever just-"

"Nope." His fists clenched. "Go ahead, Dr. Mitchell. Hit me. Let it out."

"I told you that you wouldn't be smearing your shit all over my name."

"Uh huh."

"And still, you continue? You're dating a professor? Here!"

"I don't know where you get your information-"

"Dr. Swanson was very detailed about the entire situation, Beca. Now I understand why Dr. Posen tried to make me believe that you and Chloe-"

She scoffed. "You believe what you want, Warren. She didn't try to make you believe anything. There was nothing going on when you made your insinuations. Anything to get pissed off at me about though, right? First, it was Chloe then Dr. Posen. Who's next? The step monster? The dean?"

"Shut up!"

"Like I said, you brought me here. You forced me to come for the sake of your image, to make it seem as if you were somehow a better parent than my mom, and you weren't."

"I know that the Beale girl was lying for you. You're dragging all of these people down with you, and-"

"The dean knows, Warren. I dropped the philosophy class. We followed all of the guidelines. Yes, I'm dating a professor. So you and Dr. Swanson and Dean Posen can go have a beer and plot to fuck everything up, but you'll lose. I guarantee that."

"What do you think this is, Beca? What in the world do you think all of this is? That this is a game? That you can come and fuck up everyone else's life?"

"That's what you did, right? For your own selfish reasons, you left me, right?"

"Get over it!"

"Then get over me! This is my life, and you can't fuckin' control me!"

"I guarantee that you'll regret all of it."

"You don't scare me. You're nothing but a coward, Warren. Let's not forget that."

Beca saw his fist twitch at the same time she saw Amy and Cynthia Rose stealthily enter the lot. She kept her eyes locked on her father's, chin raised in defiance as her own fists clenched beneath her biceps.

"I want you out," he growled.

"I think I'd rather stay," Beca sighed. "I'm happy here. Oh, and Mom said that she'll pay for my education, so you can take your free ride and stick it up your ass."

The fist shot through the air, and Beca ducked, stepping around him this time. His body collided with the door of the car. She grabbed the back of his jacket, flinging him back before leveling him with a hard jab to the jaw. The crack that was elicited resonated around the lot, Warren crumpling to the pavement as Amy and Cynthia Rose made their way over quickly.

"You stay-the fuck-away from me," Beca snarled down at him as he blinked in surprise. "I'm not afraid of you, Warren. For a long time, I thought that I wanted my dad around. I wanted him to be proud of me, to love me, but now I see what you really are. You're a coward and the sorriest excuse for a man right along with Dr. Swanson and Dean Posen. I'm not afraid of any of you, so you can try to take this away from me, but I'll say it again. You will lose. I play for keeps."

With that, she kicked him out of her path, locking the doors to the car before exiting the parking lot with Amy and Cynthia Rose flanking her.

"I guess you didn't need the backup," Amy smirked.

"Honestly, I was expecting Dean Posen and Swanson to jump out," Beca chortled.

"Well, I'm not against hitting a geezer for the good of the family."

"That's good to know."

* * *

Beca had noted the massive size of the venue during her meeting. The booth she would be stationed in was spacious, and it had a full view of the vast floor below. However, it seemed so much bigger on the night of the actual event. There were lights everywhere of various colors, the dance floor flashing several hues. Girls on roller skates stood outside of the doors handing out glow sticks, and Chloe was practically bouncing up and down in excitement. The masses of Barden and Atlanta were in attendance tonight, and Beca's name had been plastered all over the thousands of flyers in just about every shop window in Atlanta. Luke had dubbed her "DJ Rebel B" with the help of CR and Chloe, and she had liked it. Around her neck that night, she had on the pair of platinum chunky headphones that matched her mix board which Aubrey had given her for Christmas. She had been talked into some brighter colors for the event by Luke and Chloe, opting for a powder blue and honey yellow plaid shirt with blue jeans and yellow Chucks. Aubrey had even given in and purchased her matching ear spikes, and Beca had quite the laugh over it. When Beca had informed the blonde of the meeting with her father, she had been very worried. Beca had left out a few parts like where she hit him as well as some of the dialogue, but she gave her the brunt of it. Beca had not said anything after finishing the tale, allowing Aubrey to soak it up and process the information on her own. When she finally had, she dismissed the matter altogether, and Beca was grateful. With Dean Posen back on campus, it had become more difficult to avoid him, but Aubrey had continued to do so. Of course, she was aware that this would only allow his agitation to ascend, but she just was not ready for the confrontation. It was inevitable, so she may as well push it off for as long as possible.

The club owner, Matt Gaines, set Beca's friends up in the VIP box right below the DJ booth with full access to their own bar. The man neglected to card them though everyone else that came in was checked twice, once coming in and once at the entrance of the bar area to get their 21+ band. The house DJ was currently on the decks, and he offered Beca a small wave when she walked in to set up her stuff. The brunette could already tell that the place was going to be packed. The line outside wrapped around the building and encircled the parking lot twice. The euphoria began taking control of her senses as she stood at the back of the booth, waiting for ten p.m. when her set would start. As the clock hit the top of the hour, the music faded out.

"Okay, ya'll!" the house DJ hollered into the microphone. "Tonight, you may have all heard we were having a special guest. Now, this DJ's new to the scene, but I guarantee that she's no amateur to the trade! Prepare to be mind blown! Let's give a warm welcome to Barden University's finest, a legend in the making, DJ Rebel B!"

The crowd came alive as Beca made her way to the decks, bumping fists with the house DJ. She had met him during the meeting, and he had really and truly loved her stuff. He assured her that she had inspired him to do more original mixes, and when she confirmed that she sang her own background vocals, he was in awe. As she made her way to the decks, the euphoria was in full swing. The moment her fingers touched the decks, it were as if she were being resuscitated, jolts of electricity coarsing through her body.

"What's up, Atlanta! Are you ready to do this!" she yelled into the microphone, and the response was deafening. "Let's go!"

From the time the first mashup dropped, it was evident that the crowd was into it. Seats were empty as everyone rushed onto the floor. Chloe was even able to get Aubrey dancing, and when Beca caught sight of this, she could not resist the grin that split her face. She was bobbing her head to the beat, one cup over her right ear while the left cup of the headphones rested comfortably behind her ear, spikes visible. The energy reverberated off of the walls, and when Beca dropped that sick dubstep type vibe, debuting her first crack at producing her own instrumentals, the crowd went crazy. The lights dropped, and the glow sticks came out, and it looked outrageous from her vantage point. She had been wary of producing her own beats and instrumentals in comparison to using someone else's beats. When she had created the first one, she felt pretty confident about it and went on to create three more. She added vocals and samples of other songs, and when she showed them to Luke, he was off the walls. He debuted one on the air minutes later, and it had been highly requested since. The reaction to it now inside of the club boosted Beca's confidence immensely, and she even began to do some live mixing here and there. Bottom line though? Beca's debut was a hit, and Matt was pleased.

Halfway through her set, Beca felt a presence behind her. She turned to find Aubrey standing there with two drinks in hand. Beca grinned. She had to admit that her girlfriend looked completely relaxed tonight. She had really let loose, and she was stunning. She wore a powder blue dress that matched Beca's blue and accentuated her curves in the best of ways. Her honey blonde locks framed her face perfectly, eyes illuminated. Yellow heels graced her feet, and Beca still could not get over how well the woman moved in them, how well the woman moved period. To think that this was the same uptight and fun-sucking Aubrey Posen was startling.

"Hey, Babe!" Beca greeted, taking the offered drink and pecking the woman on the lips. "Are you having fun?"

"Yes, but I would like a dance with my DJ," Aubrey returned with a pointed look.

"I think that I can arrange that."

Aubrey had been to only a few clubs back during college with Ashley in the few nights that her father wasn't looming over her shoulder and dictating every minute of her schedule. She had always enjoyed being in a place where no one knew her or paid attention to her. She could just let loose without worrying about Daddy Posen's reputation. Tonight, the only reputation she had any hand in was Beca's, and she was definitely contributing positively to it.

Beca queued up several songs before downing her drink and following her stunning girlfriend back downstairs. They made their way into the crowd, reaching where their friends were before the blonde began grinding against the DJ, dipping her hips low to gain leverage. Beca groaned, hands instinctively seizing the blonde's hips and moving with the music. Chloe shot her a wink from where she was dancing with Tom, and she smiled. She threw a thumbs up to CR who had her hands full with Stacie and the busty brunette's usual seductive moves. She could see Cynthia Rose's head thrown back in a chuckle though she couldn't hear her over the music. Glancing around her, she could see everyone moving like there was no tomorrow to her beats. It was enticing. She returned focus to her girlfriend in front of her, sliding her hands further around Aubrey's thighs. The taller woman leaned back, giving Beca the ability to place light kisses on the nape of her neck. There were no worries tonight. No Dr. Mitchell, no Jesse Swanson, no Dean Thomas C. Posen. It was only them in their little bubble of happiness. Tonight, Beca had come one step closer to her dreams without anyone but those now surrounding her. Her mother was absent. Her father was so far gone. Yet, at last, it no longer mattered. She was no longer alone. She had a family, friends, the love of her life all right there beside her, and that was all that she cared about. Making music had always been the only thing that could bring her even a fraction of happiness, and now it was fused together with the love that she now received from the others to make her whole. This was what she lived for, and tonight, they let it all go. The night belonged to them, and no one could take that from them. Tonight, they embraced the music, but soon they would have to face the music.

* * *

**_Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence ~ H. L. Mencken _**


	16. Fool Me Now, You're a Weatherman

**_A/N: Okay okay sorry guys! I got called into work at the very last possible minute, and I had no time to do anything. I just got home then i had kids to feed and all that but now im here and ill make sure to upload another chapter before the nights out regardless of anything. so i do pretty much have the story finished, so we'll keep going with the review method and we're all good. Okay here we go! So head's up. The war is here at last. Im sorry for all the build up, but it had to be done in order to set this all up perfectly. okay lets go_**

**_Song: You Owe Me Nothing In Return-Alanis Morissette _**

* * *

_I'll give you countless amounts of outright acceptance if you want it_

_I will give you encouragement to choose the path that you want if you need it_

_You can speak of anger and doubts your fears and freak outs and I'll hold it_

_You can share your so-called shame filled accounts of times in your life and I won't judge it_

_(and there are no strings attached to it)_

_You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give_

_You owe me nothing for caring the way that I have_

_I give you thanks for receiving it's my privilege_

_And you owe me nothing in return_

_You can ask for space for yourself and only yourself and I'll grant it_

_You can ask for freedom as well or time to travel and you'll have it_

_You can ask to live by yourself or love someone else and I'll support it_

_You can ask for anything you want anything at all and I'll understand it_

_(and there are no strings attached to it)_

_You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give_

_You owe me nothing for caring the way that I have_

_I give you thanks for receiving it's my privilege_

_And you owe me nothing in return_

_I bet you're wondering when the next payback shoe will eventually drop_

_I bet you're wondering when my conditional police will force you to cough up_

_I bet you wonder how far you have now danced you way back into debt_

_This is the only kind of love as I understand it that there really is_

_You can express your deepest of truths even if it means I'll lose you and I'll hear it_

_You can fall into the abyss on your way to your bliss I'll empathize with_

_You can say that you have to skip town to chase your passion and I'll hear it_

_You can even hit rock bottom have a mid-life crisis and I'll hold it_

_(and there are no strings attached)_

_You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give_

_You owe me nothing for caring the way that I have_

_I give you thanks for receiving it's my privilege_

_And you owe me nothing in return_

* * *

When the call came through, it startled Beca. She was currently in her Introduction to Music Theory class preceding her lunchtime, and the device began to buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a number she did not recognize with a "323" area code. Quickly making her way out to the hall, she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Is this Beca Mitchell?" a female voice inquired. "DJ Rebel B?"

"Yes, this is. Um, who am I speaking with?"

The smile in her tone now became evident. "Miss Mitchell, this is Adeline Pierce." Beca's eyes bulged. "I'm with Young and Restless Records here in LA."

"Yes, of course. I know who you are." Beca's breathing was becoming labored as her heart palpitated, and Adeline chuckled.

"No need to be alarmed, Miss Mitchell. It's me that should be nervous."

"Well, uh, what can I help you with, Miss Pierce?"

"Please, call me Adeline. Well, I'm calling because a representative of ours was in Atlanta this past Friday, and he attended one of its most favored clubs. He said that he was witness to what he deemed 'the next best thing'. DJ Rebel B. We called up the club. They sent us the samples that they had, and, Miss Mitchell-"

"Beca please."

Adeline smiled. "Well, Beca, my interest is definitely piqued. We understand that you produced your own tracks, and we would like some more of your stuff."

"Yeah, of course. I can do that."

"Fabulous. Look, I have a few more minds to blow with it, but I'm betting on you. Listen, I understand you're currently a student, but if the rest of my colleagues agree, we're willing to offer you a job here. What we can offer you right now is our first-tier job. We'll start you off as our in-house DJ at one of our upcoming clubs. We'll also land you gigs with other establishments in the area, some high-end parties. Then, we'll see what you can do with our producers. If you excel there, that will give us the means of a record deal for you."

"Really?"

"Yes. We can hold the job until August as we understand having to finish out your semester, but if you feel that you can come earlier, we're all for it. We can arrange for your flight here, the shipping of your vehicle and belongings, and we can also help you with housing out here depending on your preferences."

"Um, if I was bringing someone with me, would her airfare would be covered as well?"

"Oh, a significant other? Yes, of course."

"Okay, well I can see when I can make it out, but I definitely think we can make this work."

"We would also like to invite you out during your spring break if you plan to finish out your school year, so we can give everyone a sample of what we're bringing in. You just give us the dates, and we'll accommodate."

"Okay, for sure."

"This is my personal cell, and your calls will be priority, so just give me a ring, and we will be in touch, okay, Miss Mitchell?"

"Okay, thank you so much."

"Thank you."

As soon as Beca hung up, she called Aubrey.

"Hey, sweetie," the blonde answered in a hushed tone as she exited her class.

"Hey, can I see you for lunch?" Beca asked quickly, almost unable to contain her excitement. "I have the most amazing news for you."

"Yeah, of course. I'll be in my office."

"Okay, I'll see in you in half an hour?"

"Okay, honey."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Beca hung up then, rushing back into class to gather her belongings. She could not wait to tell the blonde of the job offer, but before that, she had to pick up something because now, she was completely sure of everything. It was time to lock it in.

* * *

Aubrey made her way into her office after her final morning class. She had several hours until her next, and she could not wait to hear the news that her girlfriend had been so excited to share. The grin could be heard in her voice, and Aubrey was getting curious and excited just thinking about it. After the gig a few days prior, things had become increasingly easier. Aubrey was feeling confident about their relationship, and Beca never let up in showing her how much she meant to the brunette. It was always an adventure, and she still woke up everyday excited to see how Beca would surprise her that day.

She tidied up her desk as she waited, organizing folders and papers. When she finished up with that, she turned to the bookcase behind her desk to make sure all was in order. The order of items were not something that she obsessed over as much anymore. With Beca, spontaneity had become a guilty pleasure, and Aubrey was gradually warming up to it, enjoying it at times as well. Of course, her stapler remained the same distance from her planner, but it wasn't so significant anymore. When she heard the door open behind her, she smiled, butterflies taking flight in her stomach.

"Sweetie, you're early," she chided lightly, glancing at her watch before turning around. "It's only been-"

She trailed off when she took in her visitor, and her stomach churned instantly. Anger, worry, rage and irritation were just some of the emotions running through her veins now. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"What do you want, Jesse?" she sighed, trying to remain calm.

"Hey, Bree, it's nice to see you too," the man replied with a grin before revealing flowers from behind his back and holding them out to her. "I got these for you."

"I don't want them, Jesse. Now please leave."

"So you were expecting her then?"

"It's none of your business."

"How can you just walk around like this is okay, like this is normal?"

"You know what's not normal? You stalking me and constantly hounding me when you already know that I want nothing to do with you."

"You're just confused."

"No, Jesse, that's the thing. I used to always be confused. I had no idea why you angered me so much, why you irritated me to no end, why I hated sleeping next to you, why I didn't want to start a future with you. Now it all makes sense."

"And you want a future with her?"

"The way it's going now? Yes. She loves me."

"She's a kid who's fucking her teacher. She doesn't-"

"Don't go there, Jesse. You have no idea what goes on with us. She does love me. She-she-she knows my coffee order for Christ sake. You haven't gotten it right in three years."

"Seriously? Coffee?"

"Do not try to be condescending. I don't care what you say. Constantly harassing me is not going to change my mind. It makes me afraid of you."

"Come on, Bree. You know me. You love me."

"I don't, Jesse! I know that maybe I should, but I don't! My dad has messed with my head long enough! I can't do this! I can't live this fabricated fairy tale anymore!"

"Bree, listen to me. We can make it better. We'll be better. Just tell me what's wrong, so I can fix it."

"Jesse, you can't fix it."

"What is it? What's wrong with me?"

"You're not Beca."

His eye twitched slightly, his hand tightening around the bouquet, and his anger was obvious. Aubrey sighed, rubbing her temples fiercely now.

"Jesse, please leave," she pleaded.

"No, you-you can't just leave me, Aubrey," he growled. "It doesn't work that way."

"Yes, it does. It does now. I'm sorry I was too scared to do this earlier, but it had to be done. You drive me insane, and I cannot handle you."

"What-you just-you're just going to drop me for some dyke freshman?"

"Jesse, stop-"

"You can't be serious! You're sick, Aubrey, and that isn't where your life is. Your life is with me! You can't change that!"

"Are-you threatening me?"

"I'm telling you how it is."

"No, it's not. Jesse, please stop. You are making a complete fool of yourself. Leave now."

When he made no move to leave, she huffed out a breath and moved to walk out herself. As she passed him, his hand shot out...

* * *

Beca had a pep in her step as she walked down the hall housing her girlfriend's office. She was humming, her fingers buried in her pocket and fiddling with what was currently held there. A smile played at the corners of her lips, and she could not wait to tell the blonde the good news. It was going to be a great day. She could tell. She was on a cloud at that moment. As she neared the blonde's office, she heard yelling then a yelp. She quickened her pace, and when she reached the door, she opened it carefully. Jesse had Aubrey's arm, and she was trying to pull away. He shoved her back into the desk roughly.

"You're not leaving me!" he snarled. "You're not ruining our futures for some little bitch, do you understand?"

"Jesse, please just stop," the blonde breathed, restraining tears. "I don't want this."

"You're mine, you hear me? You were always mine, and you always will be."

"I don't want to be with you! Now let me go!"

Aubrey moved to get around him again, and he grabbed the front of her blouse. Beca was inside in a flash, grabbing his shoulder and pushing him away with a hard shove. She took a stance in front of Aubrey, fists balled up at her sides.

"Dude, what the fuck is your problem!" she shot out. "It's over. Get over it."

"Do you know who you're talking to?" he scoffed.

"Yeah, an obsessed stalker that can't get it through his thick skull. She-doesn't-want you."

"You're nothing to me. You think you can just walk in here and ruin everything?"

"What are you talking about? All I did was show her she had an option. She never wanted you."

"You're not taking her from me."

Beca chuckled now. "Dude, you're psychotic. You need help."

"Don't you talk to me that way! You-"

"Listen. I don't know what's going on in your head, but it's her choice. I don't care what Dean Posen tells you or makes you believe. It isn't up to him. Don't you see? If you loved her, you wouldn't be hurting her like this. You wouldn't be forcing this on her. You would let her be. Pushing her isn't going to make her love you, dude. She's happy. Why can't you let it be?"

"She's not happy! She isn't thinking straight! She-"

Beca had to bark a laugh now. "Do you hear yourself, dude? That's-that's-you're delusional. Seriously, you just need to let it go. It's-over."  
Jesse stepped up closer to her now, snarling down at her. "Get-out-of-our-way."

"I'm not letting you hurt her anymore. I'm here, and there's no way in hell your crazy ass is coming anywhere near her. Come on, Babe. Let's go."

Beca grabbed Aubrey's hand, leading her out of the office. Before they made it to the door however, Jesse's hand grabbed Beca's shoulder, nails penetrating the skin. On instinct, Beca turned around, slamming her fist into his face. His nose was gushing blood in seconds. He reached out to grab her, Aubrey all the while screaming at Jesse to stop. He grabbed Beca by her throat, pushing her up against the wall as she threw another fist into his jaw. All she saw was red tinting her vision, the anger that had been building up for so long being transferred through her flying fists. Through gritted teeth, she beat into the man before her until he released her throat. She landed on top of him, but before she could continue pummeling him, arms were locking around her and pulling her back. Campus security and several other professors were now in the room, two of the campus cops holding Beca as she continued to flail. Aubrey sent a text to Chloe telling her to come to her office immediately then she stepped in front of Beca, grabbing her cheeks.

"Beca, Beca!" she cried, tears running down her face. "Calm down. Please calm down. It's okay."

Dean Marshall rushed in followed by Dr. Kendrick.

"Dr. Posen, what's going on here?" he asked, looking around at the chaotic scene before him.

Beca was being held firmly by the cops. Dr. Kenmore and Dr. Jones were tending to a half-conscious Jesse. The chairs were overturned, and the desk items were strewn across the floor. Aubrey had tears pouring from her eyes, and Jesse's blood littered the carpet as well as his face. He took a look at Beca and Aubrey, awaiting an answer.

"Dr. Posen?" he called again firmly, and she snapped from her trance, releasing Beca and turning to him.

"Dean Marshall," she breathed shakily. "He-Dr. Swanson-attacked me. He wouldn't let me leave. He-he pushed me into the desk, and-and Miss Mitchell came in, and he attacked her. She was only defending us."

Dean Marshall took another look at Jesse, who was now sitting up with tissue pressed against his nose. He then looked over at Beca warily, who seemed to have recovered from her anger. Her head was now bowed as she attempted to catch her breath, body trembling from the adrenaline induced by the entire debacle. He then turned to Dr. Kendrick.

"Dr. Kendrick, please call Dr. Mitchell." Beca tensed at this, eyes snapping up. "Tell him to meet me in my office straight away. Dr. Kenmore, clean Dr. Swanson up and then escort him to my office as well. Officers, take Miss Mitchell up. I will be with them shortly."

Fear struck Aubrey's heart at the mention of Warren. The staff scurried out of the room, following the dean's orders promptly until only she and Dr. Marshall remained. Before either could utter a word, she spun around and fell to her knees beside the trash can, expelling the contents of her stomach into it. He waited patiently, rubbing at his temples with his thumb and index finger with a heavy sigh.

"Aubrey," he at last said softly as she stood, wiping her mouth with a tissue. "I-I don't know how this happened, but I never foresaw the repercussions of this relationship to be so-violent."

"Dean, it was Dr. Swanson," she breathed, trying to repress the tears. "He attacked me. She was only protecting me, protecting us."

"It looks as if she beat him with hatred."

"She was mad. Calling in Dr. Mitchell will not help either. He-he's abused her before."

"Oh? Here at school?"

"Yes, but that's her father, and she couldn't bring herself to confront him."

"Still, Aubrey. You know better."

"What are you saying?"

"We may have to expel her."

"Wh-what?"

"I'll have to bring it to the board, but, Aubrey, this is out of hand."

"Why can't you reprimand Dr. Swanson? Sir, he harasses me constantly. Calling, texting, and then this. It's him."

He let out another deep sigh. "I have to go meet with them. They'll want to meet with you too of course, the board, but I have to handle the initial issue. I'll come talk to you later."

As he left the office, leaving Aubrey scared and confused, Chloe and CR rushed in. They had seen Beca being escorted off, but she had offered them no words. No one had. Tears had already pooled in the redhead's eyes. When Aubrey saw them, she broke down once more. Cynthia Rose quickly shut the door to the office as Chloe pulled Aubrey into her arms.

"Aubrey, what happened?" she rasped, throat constricted by fear.

"Jesse, he-Dr. Swanson-" she forced out, trying to contain the nausea in her stomach. "He-he attacked me, and-Beca beat him pretty badly. They-they may expel her, and they called her father, and I-I don't know what to do."

"Hey, hey, it's going to be okay."

"Wh-what if it isn't? I-I'm terrified. My father and Jesse and-Dr. Mitchell. They-they all have pull here, and-they'll force her out. I know they will."

"Dr. Mitchell did say he wanted her out," Cynthia Rose sighed, dropping into a chair after uprighting it and putting her head in her hands.

"When was this?" Aubrey asked now, looking up at her.

"The other night in the parking lot."

"She-she didn't say that."

"Yeah, it was right before she punched him."

"She hit him? Wh-why didn't she tell me?"

"I don't know, but he rushed her, and she swung."

"What if he uses that against her? Oh my gosh."

"Hey, Beca's strong," Chloe coaxed. "She'll be okay. We just have to be there for her, be beside her. She loves you, Aubrey, and she does everything that she does for that. Don't forget it. It will all work out. Just trust in that. Trust in what you two have."

"I just-just know that-no matter how this ends, someone is going to get hurt."

* * *

Beca sat in the chair across from Jesse, eyebrows knitted together as she stared at a spot on the floor. The two campus cops stood flanking the door, awaiting Dr. Mitchell and Dean Marshall. Beca knew that she was in for it, but she couldn't bring herself to care. This was just another obstacle. She head beat the guy up, but he had it coming. He was begging for it. It was one thing to put hands on her, but to go after Aubrey was an entirely different stage of stupid in her mind. She had tried to refrain from hitting him, but her tolerance had already been closing in on negative measurements. She had no idea how she had been able to walk out of the office, possibly for Aubrey's benefit, but when he grabbed her shoulder, she knew that if she did not handle it then, he would never give the blonde peace. She had acted on impulse alone, and she didn't care. They could expel her right now, and that would be fine. She planned on taking the gig in LA as soon as possible, and she planned to take Aubrey with her. There was no way she would allow Aubrey to be subject to this type of childish game. Jesse had to grow up and get over it. Throwing temper tantrums would not get him what he desired. What kept her calm now in the tension of the room was the thought of Aubrey being hers. She had won. She was the one that the blonde chose, and no one could take that from her. This was the only fact that meant anything. Everything else was inadequate.

Dr. Mitchell was the first to walk into the room, standing over his daughter with a scowl.

"What the hell have you done?" he growled, and she only scoffed. "Answer me, Beca!" No answer. "Dammit, Beca, you-"

"Dr. Mitchell," Dean Marshall's voice now came. "Please sit down."

Warren looked up, ready to combat his instruction but thought better of it. He took the chair nearest Dr. Swanson, propping his ankle on his bouncing knee. Dean Marshall sat behind his desk now, tugging at his tie irritably before glancing around the room. He clasped his hands together at last, leaning forward on his desk.

"Dr. Mitchell," he addressed. "There was an-incident here where Miss Mitchell and Dr. Swanson were involved in a scuffle. Dr. Posen informs me that it was Dr. Swanson who initiated it, and Beca was only acting in self-defense. Is this adequate, Beca?"

"Yes, sir," she grunted.

"Okay, Dr. Swanson, does this sound right to you?"

"She attacked me," the man growled. "I was talking to Dr. Posen, and she attacked me."

"He tried to keep her hostage after she told him to leave the room," Beca defended now, looking up. "He wouldn't let her leave either."

"What were you doing up there anyway?" Dr. Mitchell asked.

"Now, Dr. Mitchell, that is of no importance at the moment," Dean Marshall injected. "Dr. Swanson, did you or did you not physically assault Dr. Posen and/or Miss Mitchell?"

"I grabbed Dr. Posen's arm, but I was only trying to talk to her," he clarified.

"Did she ask you to leave the room?"

"No, she did not. She-"

"You're a liar!" Beca barked.

"Miss Mitchell, please," Dean Marshall reasoned.

"She's violent," Dr. Mitchell now huffed. "She's hit me too."

"What!" Beca screeched.

"Dr. Mitchell, it has come to my attention that you as well have assaulted her."

"She's my daughter, and I've tried to discipline her, but I didn't hit her."

"Are you serious?" Beca squeaked.

"Why didn't you come forward, Miss Mitchell?" Dean Marshall asked, and she restrained another scoff.

"He's still my dad, and I-I protected him, and-"

"That's a load of bull, and you know it, Beca!" Dr. Marshall boomed. "You live to torture me!"

Beca could not believe it. She didn't want to deal with this.

"You know what?" she huffed. "Forget it. You want to attack me? You're both pathetic. Dr. Swanson's an obsessed stalker, and my father is a spineless coward. If you want to expel me, go ahead by all means, but I won't sit here and explain myself when I did nothing wrong, and Dr. Posen can back me on that."

"Miss Mitchell, we are not expelling you," Dean Marshall said to her, and Jesse and Warren gave him incredulous looks. "I'll have to give the board the incident report, and they'll want an official hearing. I'm just trying to get the facts straight."

"Here-are the facts. Dr. Posen told him to leave. He didn't, so she tried to leave. He grabbed her arm and threw her into the desk. I pushed him away, and I tried to take her out of the room. He grabbed me, I hit him. End of story."

"This looks like a lot more damage than one hit," Dr. Mitchell pointed out.

"Yeah, well, I was just going with it," Beca snarked. "I didn't know what else to do."

"Very well, Miss Mitchell. You are free to go," Marshall sighed. "You go on first. Warren, Jesse, please stay here a moment."

Beca sighed, standing up to go. Before she could open the door however, it opened from the other side, and in walked a familiar man with sharp grey eyes and salt and pepper hair.

"Dean Posen," Dean Marshall breathed.

"What's going on here, and where is my daughter?"

* * *

Aubrey could ask herself a million times how all of this happened. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Beca sounded so excited on the phone, and it was forecasted to be a good day. She just wanted to have lunch with her girlfriend, to see the small DJ and allow the butterflies to flap freely in her stomach. Was it too much to ask?

Obviously it was. The world was playing some sort of sick joke on her. How this happened was beyond her, and she was doing everything in her power to understand it, but she continually drew a blank. What would happen if they expelled Beca? Beca had asked before what would happen to them if she moved to LA. At the time, Aubrey did not know, but going over their time since then, Aubrey was pretty sure she could not live without the brunette. She had no idea if it had been in Dean Posen's plan to set her up with an obsessive asshole like Jesse. It seemed legitimate, but that did not make it any easier. Then again, her father was the same way. He lived to control, her first and foremost. It was scary to think that he would actually allow his one and only daughter to be sworn to someone like Jesse. He had put hands on her that day. What was to say about the next time she angered him if she stayed? This could not be right. This could not be happening. She only wanted Beca now at that moment. She only wanted to be in the brunette's arms safe from harm. She didn't care about anything else as long as her Beca was there.

Chloe was perched on the desk currently, Cynthia Rose slumped down in the chair opposite her. Aubrey sat in her desk chair, elbows propped on her knees with her face in her hands, fingers massaging her temples. The air was dense. None had spoke in a long time. Beca had been in Dean Marshall's office for nearly an hour now, and they had no idea what to think. They were trying to keep calm, keep it together. CR had texted Stacie. Chloe had texted Amy and Benji. Everyone was waiting for word on the brunette with bated breath. Aubrey just needed to see her girlfriend before she completely fell apart. Shame, guilt, fear, loss and confusion stirred within her as she berated herself for all of it. She had no idea what was going to happen, but she knew that the war was inevitably upon them. When Dean Posen found out about this, there was no way in hell that he would let it go, that he would even entertain the idea of Aubrey being with Beca. She had no idea why she still cared, but he was still her father. She wanted to forget about him. She wanted to run as far away from Barden and her father as possible. She knew what would happen if she were to do so. He would cut her out of his will, out of his circle, out of his life. He would bash her to the point where she would never be respected by anyone within miles of Barden. He would tear her to pieces, and the university would have a field day. Her entire life, all that she had worked for since she were a child, would be ripped away. With all that in mind, only one single questioned remained. Was this relationship a sure thing? Was Beca Mitchell and the love between them worth it all? She knew what Beca's answer would be. What would be hers?

As she fidgeted in her chair once more, the door opened slowly. She jumped up from her seat with a sigh of relief to know that Beca was finally back. When the door opened fully however, her heart jumped into her throat. Her blood ran cold, body going taut in seconds. The tears were quickly welling up, and the nausea churned within her. The voice that broke the silence cut through her like a scalpel.

"Aubrey."

"Daddy."

**_We choose those we like; with those we love, we have no say in the matter_**

**_-Mignon McLaughlin_**


	17. Coming Clean

**_A/N: First of all, have you heard the song at the beginning of this chapter! I love it! Anyway lol...So here it is! The anticipated Dean Posen Confrontation. Need I say more? I cried through the whole damn thing, so I hope Im not just weird but anyway Thanks for all the reviews and being so understanding. I love you guys. Thank you for everyone with me in this. I know I was reaching with a Mitchsen fic, but Im glad you liked it, and I really liked it. I mean its a bit more difficult with Aubrey. She's one of those characters that had a lot of depth and we knew the origin, but the edges were rough, and the assumptions were endless. The good thing about that is that you can pretty much mold her any way. I mean, it seems out of character for her to be sweet and stuff, but just like at the end of the movie, she broke her shell. Its funny because I was watching PP last night, and I realize she says "Mariah Carey chart-topper". Why couldn't they sing some Mariah Carey then? haha anyway onward_**

**_Song: The End-Mayday Parade_**

* * *

_We tried to fight for what we thought that we believed in_

_Maybe it was all for nothing (I bet that it was all for nothing)_

_So we drive 'cause we like to be alone_

_There's nowhere for us to go_

_There's nowhere for us to go_

_We tried to fight, I guess sometimes you find it's pointless_

_As long as you can live with yourself_

_(Tell me how you live with yourself)_

_So it's time that we take the open road_

_There's nowhere for us to go_

_There's nowhere for us to go_

_How can you think that any of this was easy_

_With all the friends I've lost along the way?_

_When this is over, we're all getting older now_

_And we all play a part in it_

_Innocence is falling, can you hear them calling now?_

_But I'll be by your side until the end_

_To all my friends, let's make this count_

_We're not alone, not alone_

_How can you think that any of this was easy_

_With all the friends I've lost along the way?_

_When this is over, we're all getting older now_

_And we all play a part in it_

_Innocence is falling, can you hear them calling now?_

_And I'll be by your side until the end_

* * *

Chloe and Cynthia Rose gave her sympathetic smiles before leaving the room to give the two Posens some privacy. Aubrey stood in front of her desk, gnawing on the inside of her cheek and unable to meet her father's steely gaze. His eyes never left her face, and she could feel the anger rising off of him. The fear gripped her, and she was unable to move from where she stood. She awaited the punishing blow, and all of the words that she had written in her head to say to him when the day finally came that she had to face him were erased in an instant. She had nothing to say now, nothing to do. Her courage had been thwarted, boldness discarded, and all else that had kept her strong fell away. Under the scrutinizing gaze of her father, Aubrey reverted back to that scared little girl hanging from her father's puppet strings.

"Aubrey," he called again, and the ice in his tone made her flinch. "Look at me." She looked up timidly. "What do you think you are doing? Are you trying to tear this family down, to spit on our name and make a fool out of me?"

"No, Daddy, I-"

"You will no longer act in such a childish and reckless way. This university holds much respect for me, and I will not allow you to diminish that. First, you will apologize to Dr. Swanson and then you will apologize to Dean Marshall and Dr. Mitchell. Dr. Swanson-"

"Daddy, please! I don't want to be with him! He-he attacked me."

"Then you should stop testing his patience! He had every right to put you in your place. You have been disobedient long enough. You are going to make it right. You are going to marry him in the summer, and you will be transferred to my department come the fall."

"Wh-what?"

"You think I will let you out of my sight again? You will work your way up and earn your respect. You lost all of it during this shenanigan. Now."

He reached into his pocket now, and he pulled out a small, black box. Opening it up, he extracted a large, diamond solitaire. In such moments, women were to cry joyous tears. Now Aubrey's eyes poured forth tears of fear and sorrow. He snatched her hand from where it had subconsciously been slapped against her mouth, and forced the ring onto her finger.

"Daddy, I don't-"

"Aubrey, you made your own decisions for once, and they were the wrong decisions. This won't happen again. Listen to me. I know you don't understand now, but you will. That girl is a freshman with no ambition in her life. I mean, her father says she wants to be a disc jockey." He scoffed now. "That hardly passes as a real occupation. It's a hobby, a silly hobby. Dr. Swanson can provide for you, take care of you, and he can carry on our family's legacy in true Posen fashion. Do you really want to gamble your entire future on a freshman with ridiculous dreams? That isn't a sure thing. Jesse is a sure thing. Your future together is a sure thing. This girl is too much of a gamble. When she gets tired of fooling around with her teacher and ruining your life, then what happens? When she runs off to LA, what happens to you? You lose everything, and for what? This is how it is going to be. I'm doing what's best for you. I'm your father, and I know best, and you will cease seeing her. Do you understand me?" She shook her head slowly. "I said DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!"

Now she nodded viciously, fighting the bile now bubbling up in her throat. Just then, the door flew open to reveal Beca. Dean Posen whirled around. Jesse followed on the DJ's heals.

"What are you doing here?" Dean Posen spat. "I told you to stay away."

"You may be able to buy Jesse, but you can't buy me," Beca snarled back. "This is what you're doing to her? She's your daughter, and you're letting her marry a psychopath because he wears a suit and tie to work every day."

"You have no idea why I-"

"You're an idiot! He's after your money! I heard him. Aubrey, he's only marrying you to inherit everything your dad is worth, and your dad offered me money to leave."

"See, Daddy!" Aubrey cried.

"Well, he deserves it," Dean Posen answered.

"You-you know this, and you're still-"

"He's a good a man, Aubrey, the best fit for you."

"He attacked her, you fuckin' prick!" Beca roared.

"I'm going to call campus security if you don't leave this instant. Aubrey, tell her to leave."

"Babe, come on," Beca prompted. "He can't do this. He can't tear us apart. You know that." Aubrey didn't move. She only gave Beca a sympathetic look, causing the DJ's jaw to clench. "Aubrey?"

The blonde clapped her hand over her mouth once more, and it was then that Beca saw the ring.

"Bree, no," she croaked. "No, baby, don't let them do this. It's us, remember? It's us!"

Beca rushed forth, but she was pushed back by Dean Posen.

"Dr. Swanson, call security in here," he directed, and Jesse quickly agreed.

"Bree, don't let them do this, please," Beca begged, eyes locked on Aubrey.

"I-I am so sorry, Beca," the blonde breathed now, removing her hand slowly. "Just know that I can never thank you enough for all you did."

The sound of Beca's heart shattering could definitely be heard resonating around the entire campus, probably the city. After it shattered, it shattered again and again. Tears were bursting from her eyes as her shoulders slumped. Aubrey would not meet her gaze.

"It's best you leave now," Dean Posen said again as the two cops stepped into the office.

Beca did not move at first, frozen in place as she pleaded with Aubrey via her gaze. Aubrey would not meet it however, turning around as she awaited the brunette's departure. At last, one of the security guards grabbed her arm gently, turning her around.

"Aubrey?" She breathed once more. "You-you owe me nothing return."

She tore away from his grasp and rushed out of the office and out of the building. Cynthia Rose and Chloe were waiting outside for her, but she didn't even notice them as she sprinted past, tears blurring her vision. They called after her, but she did not hear them. She just kept running, not caring about all of the weird glances she was drawing from other students. Soon, she had exited campus, running down the backroads that led to the university. She did not stop until she collapsed in a deserted park quite a distance from campus. Her knees hit the grass, and the sobs began to rack her body mercilessly. Her head throbbed, her chest ached, and her lungs were constricted so that it was difficult to breathe. On what was to be the happiest day of her life, the storm had come to collect, and it had torn her entire life apart. She just wanted it to end. There was nothing left, nothing more to be said or done. She had always known there was a chance that Aubrey would leave because people leave Beca Mitchell. Beca Mitchell was the placeholder for bigger and better things. It was what she had always been. She had her father until his new wife and daughter came along. She had a mother until the senate came along. The thing was that Jesse Swanson was not bigger and better things. Aubrey had settled out of fear, and she completely disregarded Beca and her emotions. It were as if the last couple of months had meant nothing, had never happened at all, and it hurt the most. In a matter of months, Beca had discovered one thing she had tried to avoid. Beca had at last experienced love, and in that same time, she had experienced love lost. In this time now, she vowed to never experience it again.

Dean Posen, after exiting the office of Dean Marshall, had calmly and coolly turned to Beca, offering her a hefty sum of money to leave Barden and never come back. The insult was just short of pushing Beca to spit in his face, but she only told him that he could shove it up his ass. She was then called back into Dean Marshall's office at her dad's request just to further degrade her while Dean Posen left, and she knew where he was going. She knew that the inevitable battle had come, and she would have to pull out all of the stops when the dean attempted to sway Aubrey's mind back in his favor. The moment Dean Marshall released her for the second time, she was racing down the hall. She could hear Dr. Swanson calling after her, his voice muffled with his broken nose, but she wouldn't stop. She heard his trot transform into a run, but she did not slow. Walking into that room, the defeat hung in the air. Still, she had fought. Still, she had tried, and she had failed. It was simple as that. The moment she had looked into her beloved's eyes, she knew that she had lost. She knew that Dean Posen had regained control of her mind, and that she was going to break Beca. She was going to turn her away, and it would be for the last time. Beca had done her very best. She had proven to Aubrey everyday since they had realized their mutual attraction how much the blonde meant to her. She had given her as many possible reasons to love her, to trust her, to take that leap. She was no child. She was far beyond her years. If Beca, cynical and closed off and anti-social Beca could not only admit her emotions but act on them and then fight for them, it had to be real. She had been sure of the win, and for that, she was proven ignorant because she could never beat Dean Posen. It did not matter what Jesse had done. It made no difference how good he was or was not. No one cared how deeply in love she and Aubrey were. He had won.

Beca had no idea how long she sat out in the park. She lay atop a stone bench. Her tear ducts had dried out, and her breathing had calmed. She stared off into space, not even aware of the constant buzzing of her cell phone in her pocket. No one she wanted to talk to was calling. That was fine. In the end, they would stop calling. They would all leave. Chloe would leave. Cynthia Rose would leave. Stacie would leave. Even Benji would eventually leave. Beca could leave too, right at that moment, and she would never have to look back. She could run off to LA and follow her dreams, make music and do all that she had ever wanted to do. Still, not even that sounded appetizing at the moment. All she wanted was to hold Aubrey in her arms, to kiss her lips and hug her and take in her scent. That longing was gradually ripping her to shreds, and it wouldn't be long until it ended her.

Beca reached into her pocket as night fell, pulling out the object that she had been so eager to give Aubrey. She had wanted to solidify their future together, to make everything official and pitch the idea of moving to LA, getting far away from the chaos in Barden and beginning a life together. They could both follow their dreams without their fathers constantly judging them, scrutinizing them, reminding them how much their failures weighed without acknowledging their triumphs. Beca was going to make her happy. Beca was going to make her free. Beca was going to make her Mrs. Mitchell. Now Beca wasn't going to make anything.

Her fingers danced idly across the surface of the large diamond, the ghost of a smile on her lips as she thought of what could have been. Then she remembered what is, and the smile faded away. She thought of chucking the ring, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She figured she could just take it back and put her mother's money back in the bank. It was crazy how all had occurred. One moment, she was practically skipping to pick up Aubrey for lunch. The next minute, Aubrey was pretending that she was no one of importance. The smug look on Jesse's face and the satisfied look on Dean Posen's face were nothing compared to the fact that Aubrey wouldn't even look her in the eye. The worst pain ever felt was that inflicted by those that you love, and Beca fully believed it now.

* * *

Dean Marshall had offered Aubrey three days' leave to recuperate from the days' event. She had eagerly agreed, and she convinced her father to give her that time as well to get her head straight. His only term was that she stay at the Posen household, and she agreed with the negotiation that Jesse give her space as well. He acquiesced reluctantly. The moment she left the office however, she went straight to her own home, crawling into bed and bawling her eyes out. She wanted to call Beca, Ashley, Chloe, somebody, anybody, but she could not face any of them. She was disgusted with herself, and she had no idea what to do. She had done it again, fallen to her knees at her father's request and allowed him to take control of her life once more. She had handed over the only happiness she had ever possessed, and she had been to scared to fight for it. It was not supposed to be this way. This was not supposed to happen. She never found out what good news Beca had for her, what the brunette wanted to say. She could not get one specific image out of her mind, the look of pure heartbreak and distress in Beca's eyes as she pleaded for Aubrey's support, for her aide, and Aubrey had turned away. She had deliberately denied Beca all that she had sworn to give her. She knew that she had broken the brunette's heart, but Beca had said that she would understand. One day, she would. Aubrey knew that. Her Beca was strong. She deserved so much more than a scared little girl that never truly grew up. She deserved to be loved, to be fought for, to be protected in the way she had done for Aubrey, in the way that Aubrey couldn't. She deserved so much more than that. One day, Beca would wake up next to someone that fought for her, and she would comprehend why Aubrey had been taken from her. Still, her words echoed in Aubrey's mind now.

_"I understand if you leave. Everyone leaves...You owe me nothing in return."_

Beca had been abandoned by her father, neglected by her mother, and she had still given Aubrey access to her heart. Aubrey had done it. She had left, and though Beca was used to it, it did not make it right. It did not soothe the guilt in the blonde's chest. This was her life however. This was her fate, and Thomas C. Posen was the only one that held the blueprints to the future.

* * *

"Still no answer?" Cynthia Rose asked, voice hoarse as Stacie rubbed her back.

"No," Chloe sniffed, wiping her cheeks for the nth time. "It's midnight. Where could she be?"

"I-I don't know."

"We-we have to find her."

"We looked everywhere, Chlo. She'll come back when she-"

"What if something happened? What if she-she-"

"Don't." Cynthia's eyes welled up now. "Please don't. Don't say that. She wouldn't. She-she-"

And the dam broke. They had held on for so long. Cynthia Rose had restrained all of the tears. The only one who had let them fall up to that point was Chloe. Stacie had been able still herself. Benji had been calm, only waiting patiently for the return of his best friend. Jessica's tears had not yet fallen from the pool in her eyes. Amy had been sitting in the same position since she left with no expression on her face, but now, with the realization of how deeply Beca had been cut, they were afraid that they were not enough to bring her home. They feared that in her distraught state, she may have resorted to drastic measures, irreversible measures. Stacie, tears in her own eyes now falling freely, pulled the sobbing shorter woman into her chest while stroking the back of her head. Chloe's head dropped into her hands as the sobs racked her body, Amy beside her, thoughtlessly gripping the redhead's shoulder as she bit down on her lip. The tears fell silently from her. She had not moved in the past hour nor spoke. That was terrifying. If Amy was silent, it was a perfect time to be worried. Benji sat on the floor, back against the desk and eyes shut tightly as he tried to deflect the wild thoughts running through his mind. Hearing the new idea however, his eyes rained down. Jessica gripped his hand tightly, her eyes bloodshot red and her lips quivering with worry. Beca had left hours ago, and they had yet to hear from her. They had driven all over Barden and some parts of Atlanta, but they could not find her. Her car was still in the lot, so they knew she was on foot. That scared them most. No one knew exactly what had happened up in Dr. Posen's office, but they knew it had to have been terrible. Chloe had seen the smug look on Dr. Swanson's face when he exited the building, and she wanted nothing more than to wipe it off. With a chair. Now though, all she could think about was the small DJ, and she wondered how anyone could hurt her. Beneath the badass facade, Chloe knew that she was fragile, that she had been damaged before and that she had been molded by it. How could anyone hurt Beca once they knew the real her? Chloe just could not grasp the idea of it, but regardless, it had happened. Even when she did return, they were terrified that they wouldn't know how to help her or that she wouldn't let them.

When the door at last opened shortly after one in the morning, Chloe was the first one on her feet. They watched as Beca entered the room, a dazed expression on her face and a small black box clutched tightly in her hand. They could smell the liquor on her, and her cheeks were flushed red.

"You-you guys waited up for me?" she asked, tone laced with confusion.

"Of course we waited up for you," Chloe sighed, running a hand through your hair.

"Jesus, Short Stack, we were worried sick!" Amy shrieked.

"I-I went-I-I was with Etta."

"Yeah, we can tell."

"Beca, what happened?" Chloe asked.

"Huh? Oh, uh, n-nothing. I'm fine."

"Beca, please don't."

"I'm fine, Chlo, r-really, okay? She-she's gone. I'm free, right? I'm free?"

The looks now aimed at Beca were that of pure sorrow and sympathy. Chloe gave the others a quick nod before taking Beca's hand and leading her into the hall. Beca leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes to rid herself of dizziness.

"Beca," Chloe said softly, cupping her cheeks. "Becs, talk to me please."

"I-I'm fine, Chlo, I just wanna sleep," the brunette replied, smacking her lips.

"Hey, I'm here. I want to help you. Please let me help you."

Beca's eyes cracked open slightly, and she gave a dopey smile and a hiccup that would have been cute at any other time than now.

"Aw, you're-you're a good friend, Chlo," she sighed. "I-I wish I would've asked you to marry me instead, you know."

"I-you-you asked her to marry you?" Chloe stammered, eyes bulging.

"Oh, uh, n-no. I-I was gonna, but Dean Jesse and Posen beat me to it. Hey, at least I can get my money back for this, right?" She held up the box, and Chloe eyed it skeptically. "It-it's pretty huh? But it's not enough. I can't be enough."

"Oh, Becs." Chloe's eyes were leaking once again, her heart shattering. "That isn't true, sweetie. Aubrey was just scared, and Dean Posen is an idiot. You are so much better than that guy."

"But-I-I-they don't love me, Chlo. They-they don't. That-that's why she left, huh? She didn't love me? I-I didn't make her proud. She-she loved her job more than me, and I-I just wanted to see her every once in awhile, you know. Just a little while. I-I wanted to have lunches without an-an appointment. I wanted her to-to tell me she loves me and-to kiss my forehead maybe but just sometimes. Not too much."

"Becs, Aubrey did love you. She-"

Beca giggled now. "No, silly. Not Aubrey. My mommy."

Beca's eyes closed once more as Chloe bit back a sob. Her heart snapped in two at that moment. Never had Beca opened up so much to her. Never had she shared such crucial facts of her past. Although it had been induced by alcohol, it had still been said, and it killed Chloe deep inside. She only wanted to see her friends happy. To see Beca so vulnerable and broken scared the living hell out of her because the punk-rock, badass, inked up, ear-spiked brunette was supposed to be the strong one, the unbreakable one, the titanium one. This was all wrong.

Chloe pulled Beca's head forward now. "Becs, listen to me, okay? You _are_ good enough. You are an amazing person, and you deserve the very best. You are intelligent, beautiful, witty, and you have the biggest heart. You are so much better than you could ever know, and they're missing out."

"They-they always leave," Beca whispered now. "They leave, Chlo. My mom, my dad, Aubrey. You-you'll leave too. When you graduate and become a-a doctor, you'll go away too, and it-it'll just be me again because the blueprint says it. I-I'm gonna be alone, but that's okay as long as she's happy, I'm happy. See." She grinned widely, and it did not soothe Chloe's pain in the slightest. "See, I'm happy. Now can we please just go to sleep?"

Chloe only stared at Beca, and the brunette was oblivious to all of the tears crashing around her. With the redhead staring at her broken shell, and her friends on the other side of the dorm room door listening to her fabricated ideals, hearts were tearing themselves apart. Benji was on the verge of breaking down. He had known Beca almost all of their lives. Never had she cried. Never had she been so dejected. She hadn't cried when her father walked out. She only kept saying that he would be back until two months later when he didn't return, sitting on the Applebaum porch with her backpack for him to come get her. Then she just accepted it. When she would show up at his window on the nights her parents argued, she didn't cry and admit she was scared. Eight-year-old Beca only shrugged it off and went to bed in Benji's Star Wars sleeping bag. When her mother and father missed her ninth birthday, she didn't cry. She simply explained that they were getting her a super good present that had to be made special, and they would be home soon. Hanna Abram didn't return home until two weeks following the party the Applebaums had thrown for her. She never remembered to tell Beca "happy birthday". When Hanna missed the next six birthdays, she never cried. Soon, she stopped expecting the woman to show up, and that dissipated the pain. When Hanna missed graduation, Beca was long past expectations. She didn't even flinch. That had always been Beca. She was in fact used to people leaving, and no matter the situation, she never showed anything but indifference. Benji had always believed it. Timid little Benji had never questioned or challenged his best friend. If she said that she was okay, she was okay. If she said everything was fine, that's what it was. Even when he was able to read her easily and could see through the mask, he would not challenge her. He played his role as the best friend, and he never asked for any more or any less than what she offered him. She had been his rock. She had punched guys out in school for making fun of him. She had bitten a chunk of flesh out of Evan Cale's shoulder when he buried Benji's Mace Windu action figure in the sand on the playground in fourth grade. She had keyed Tara LaSalle's car in high school when _she_ asked Benji to prom just to show him up. That was in addition to actually punching the girl the day after. Beca had always been his protector, his safety net, his armor. Now, she needed him to return the favor, and he was scared because he wasn't sure he knew how.

Chloe helped Beca into bed, the brunette's breathing already evening out as she leaned into the redhead's side. Cynthia Rose and the others assured her that they would be back in the morning, and Amy told Chloe to stay. It would be best. Chloe nodded, and she slid into the bed next to her friend, Amy turning out the lights and quickly finding sleep. Chloe couldn't really sleep at all, so she resorted to stroking the brunette locks beside her. Soon, Beca had curled into her side, nuzzling her nose into the crook of Chloe's neck. The redhead smiled, glad that her favorite DJ was at last at peace even if only for a little while.

"We're gonna get through this, Becs," she whispered softly. "You're my best friend, and I promise you that I'm not leaving you, ever."

Chloe wasn't sure if it was the truth, but she was willing to do everything in her power to make it so. She only wondered what had happened up in that office. Had Aubrey really agreed to marry Jesse? Had it really been so easy to persuade her? Was she that scared of her father that she was willing to toss aside the best thing that had ever happened to her as if it were nothing? Nothing made sense anymore, but she knew that she would be by Beca's side until it did. They were in for an uphill battle. If Beca had been closed off before, Chloe was sure she was going to completely shut down now. It was going to take a lot of prying, digging and badgering, but Chloe was in for it. This was her friend, her best friend aside from Stacie, and now that she knew of Beca's past, she wanted nothing more than to be the friend like Benji, the one that Beca could depend on to be there. She had grown up in a happy home. Her mom and dad loved each other. They had three kids and a dog, and they showed equal amounts of love, affection and attention to all of them. She had no idea what she would have done had her mother or father just abandoned her, but what she knew was that it was these events that had molded the small DJ into who and how she was. Aside from all that, Beca had still managed to retain her sanity. With all of her inner demons, she had found how to care, and there was no way in hell that she was going to allow the smaller girl to destroy herself. They were in this together.

**_We are, each of us, angels with only one wing; and we can only fly by embracing one another- Robert Heinlein_**


	18. She Is Ours Now

**_A/N: So here we go. I apologize for all of the heart breaking. trust that I broke my own. it effects me just as much. I love you all for trusting in me though! _**

**_Song: I Wont Let Go-Rascal Flatts_**

* * *

_It's like a storm_

_That cuts a path_

_It breaks your will_

_It feels like that_

_You think you're lost_

_But you're not lost on your own_

_you're not alone_

_It hurts my heart_

_To see you cry_

_I know it's dark_

_This part of life_

_Oh it finds us all_

_And we're too small_

_To stop the rain_

_Oh but when it rains_

_And I won't let you fall_

_Don't be afraid to fall_

_I'm right here to catch you_

_I won't let you down_

_It won't get you down_

_you're gonna make it_

_Yeah I know you can make it_

_Cause I will stand by you_

_I will help you through_

_When you've done all you can do_

_And you can't cope_

_And I will dry your eyes_

_I will fight your fight_

_I will hold you tight_

_And I won't let go_

_Oh I'm gonna hold you_

_And I won't let go_

_Won't let you go_

_No I won't_

* * *

Beca never expected to be awakened in such a way. Her head was pounding, her throat was parched, her tongue felt as if there were a layer of sawdust on it, and her stomach twisted violently with each movement. When the door to her dorm room opened that morning, Chloe never in a million years expected what she found enter. The redhead was currently sitting at the desk going over her anatomy notes, and she looked up with shock in her eyes at the visitor. She then gave their guest a weak smile before gently shaking Beca awake. When the brunette came to, she just about jumped out of her skin, eyes bulging incredulously. She sat up quickly, and it was a mistake because her stomach churned, and a wave of nausea washed over her. She was able to choke it down, blinking her eyes as she tried to remember the events of the night prior.

"I'll go get us breakfast, okay?" the redhead assured Beca, handing her two Aspirin and a bottle of water. "I'll be back."

The brunette nodded dumbly, and Chloe kissed her forehead before leaving the room silently. Beca threw the pills into her mouth, guzzling down the majority of the water bottle to bide her time before placing it on the desk and swinging her legs out of bed. All the while, her visitor waited patiently, arms crossed and fingers tapping softly against her biceps. Beca took in her appearance shyly now. It had been quite a long time since she had been given the opportunity to do so in person. Her long brown hair, highlighted with golden blonde, was pulled back in a tight bun. Her sharp, steel blue eyes were clouded with an unreadable emotion. She was dressed in black slacks and a matching blazer that were, as always, absent of wrinkles or flaws, a white shirt beneath that. She was only a few inches taller than Beca, their genes running deep, but she always made the younger feel so much smaller than she originally had. Beca could not fully meet her gaze, opting to stare down at her hands as they fiddled with the the hem of her tanktop.

"Beca," her stern tone wafted through the room, and Beca internally cringed.

"Yeah," Beca sighed, her nerves quickly becoming overwhelming.

"What is happening here?"

"I-I don't-"

"Beca, you have to talk to me. All of this is getting out of hand. Now they're talking about expelling you. I offered you a transfer. Why couldn't you just take it?"

"I-I don't-"

"Is what your father said true? Were you dating a professor? Is that who you took to the cabin?"

"No, I didn't take her. I mean, yes, we were dating or-starting to date, but, Mom, it was completely within code of conduct."

"Still, Beca, this is-it's ridiculous. Are you trying to enrage your father so that he can constantly hound me? He really has no clue how to handle anything on his own."

"Mom, I'm sorry. It-it wasn't supposed to happen like that. That guy attacked her, and I-I was defending my girlfriend. I was-putting myself out there. That's what Dad wanted."

The woman sighed, wiping the corners of her mouth with her thumb and index finger. "This is unacceptable. I tried to understand. I really did, but I cannot. You continue to turn everything you touch to ruin, and I don't know-"

Beca had always respected her mother, feared her mother, trembled under that steel gaze that could cut down a forest and tear through flesh. Even when she was always gone and never bothered to spare her daughter a thought, Beca felt compelled to make her proud. She loved the woman, and she had not lost her respect for the elder in the way that she had lost it for Warren. Her mother had not just walked out on her. Beca had taken her job as a substantial excuse. She had accepted it and forgiven the woman although the woman needed no forgiveness from her or anyone else. Beca could never stop loving her mom. She could never grow to hate Hanna Abram the way she had her father, and she was still trying to understand why. Now however, her anger tore through her like an inferno, eating away at all exceptions and excuses and making itself known for the first time in her life. At last, she was done making excuses for Senator Abram. She was done lying to herself.

"How would you know? How would you ever understand? Grandma and Grandpa didn't leave you! They didn't abandon you! They didn't leave you for the next door neighbors to raise! I had to do it all alone! Birthdays, Christmas, graduation, everything! You were never there! You didn't even consider being there! How could you ever truly understand when you had your parents to be proud of you, and I had nothing!"

"I had a job to-"

"And that job was always more important than your family, and I lost both of my parents because of that! You didn't care that Dad walked out! It didn't matter to you! He meant to walk on you, and he ended up walking out on me! I was punished for being born when I never asked to be!"

"Beca, you hit your father."

"He hit me first! Anyone can vouch for that. Multiple times he hit me."

"They're having a hearing for you on Friday morning, but no matter the outcome, I want you to transfer out of this school."

"I'm leaving. I'm going to LA. They offered me a job at a record label."

She sighed now. "Beca-"

"It's legitimate, Mom. I made money on a gig last weekend, and I'm going! Why else should I even try! Nothing I do will ever be good enough for either of you! I'm sorry that I made you come back only to be angry with me. I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience to your life, but it was never my intention. All I ever wanted was for my parents to acknowledge my existence and not only when I was in trouble! I had to get in fights and get arrested and-and be gay and go out with my professor for you to notice me! For you to remember that you had a kid!" The tears streamed down her face now, head pounding as her vision blurred. "I always made excuses for you whether you cared or not. I always forgave you! I always told myself that you were coming back, that my mom was coming back, that she loved me, that she missed me as much as I missed her. I kept telling all my friends and the person in the mirror that my mom was coming back, and she never did! I hate myself for it everyday because if my mom can't love me, who the hell can! I never asked to be here! I never asked to be brought into this world and be forgotten! I wish I could hate you! I wish I didn't need your validation, but I can't! I love you so much, and you could never even say those words to me much less mean them. Am I supposed to just-just be okay with that! Huh? Tell me! I was just a mistake you and Dad made, and you tossed me aside without a thought! Why can't you see that! Why can't you guys see what you did to me! You did this! I just wanted to be good enough for you, Mom. I just wanted you to notice me. Please understand that. Please. I need my mom."

In all honesty, if Beca was being so with herself, she expected that to break through the stone flesh of Hanna Abram as the younger brunette broke down into sobs. She expected the woman to break down as well, to run and gather up the smaller brunette in her arms, to tell her that she loved her. This was no movie however. That would be the predictable ending that Beca would despise in any other instant, and ironically, it would never play out in such a way the one time she wanted it to. The senator's posture did not change. Her shoulders remained squared, fingers tapping on her bicep, eyes indifferent and jaw relaxed as if she were gaging an acting performance and not watching her daughter fall apart at her hands. Beca was sure that Aubrey had shattered her heart beyond repair. She had been absolutely positive that it could not break again, that she could not be hurt anymore than she had already been. Yet, in the one instance she wanted her mother to prove her wrong, her mother failed. She was now aware that after eleven years, her mother still had the power to rip her apart without saying a word. The constant irony of the entire situation was not lost on Beca at all, and that only pried deeper into the cracks.

"I'll stay for the hearing," she went on as if Beca had never spoken. "After that, we'll make arrangements to have you removed from Barden in order to quell your father."

She then turned on her heel and walked out of the door. As she closed it, she was met with a fierce redhead standing between her two bodyguards that had heard every word and was now over her tolerance level.

"Is that all you can say to her!" the redhead roared. "She's your daughter!"

"Excuse me?" Hanna scoffed, taken aback. "Who are you?"

"I'm the friend of the most amazing person that I know, and you're her mother, and you won't even listen to what she's saying? This is your deal! You abandoned her, and you wonder why she is the way she is! Her dad beats her here on campus, and no one has enough courage to stand up and say anything for it! Are those the type of morals that our government is built on? You're the type of person they trust with the lives of strangers when you can't even stand up and protect your own daughter? You are her mother, and that should come first before being a senator or anything else!"

"Let's go," Hanna prompted her detail, turning and heading down the hall.

"Okay, go ahead! Leave again! A high and mighty senator running away and abandoning her responsibility! I wonder how that would go for your election!"

Hanna froze now, turning her head slightly. "Are you-threatening me?"

Chloe laughed maniacally now. "I'm glad _that's _what's gets your attention. No, Senator Abram, no I'm not. I'll be here for Beca. Her _family _will be here when her parents are too high on their horses to see how much they've hurt their daughter. That's okay. I shouldn't expect you to be much different from Dr. Mitchell out of you. You married him, right? You're doing a great service, Senator, and I don't think anyone needs me to point out how big of a joke you are. We'll be fine here. You run along and hide from what should mean the most because in the end, you'll need her before she ever needs you while you're dying alone, and someone high above me will judge you when your time comes. Let's just get this straight though. Beca came out a beautiful person inside and out, and I'm kind of glad you weren't around because she was raised to be an amazing woman even if she was conceived by a couple of cowards."

* * *

When the door opened, Warren had expected many people, but he had never expected who actually stepped into the office, closing the door behind them. He had expected his ex-wife before this visitor, and he had no idea what to think.

"Warren," his booming voice said, Warren flinching at even his calmest tone.

"Uh, Kenny, what are you doing here?" the professor asked, trying to keep his nerves in check.

"You know what I'm here for, so you're just going to stand there, shut the fuck up, and listen."

Benji's parents had been in Barden half an hour after their son called to tell them all that had been going on, getting the full story from Chloe including the parts about Warren hitting Beca on multiple occasions before she finally hit back and was reprimanded for doing so. Kenny had Laura wait in Benji's dorm room while he paid a visit to old Dr. Mitchell up in his office. He looked cool, calm, and collected walking into the English Department building with a friendly grin on his face, but inside was a raging beast running solely on anger. The moment he stepped into Dr. Mitchell's office, his smile fell away. It would be hard to refrain from beating the other man senseless, but he would do his best.

Warren didn't move to even take a seat, eyes looking anywhere but the bear of the man before him, and Kenny knew he had his full attention. He stepped further into the office, and Warren tensed visibly, Kenny biting back a bitter chuckle.

"Warren," he breathed in a dull roar. "I never had much respect for you. You always walked around as if you were above everyone else, and you weren't. I confirmed that when you showed your true colors and walked out, not on a woman who was rarely home but on a little girl who sat on my porch everyday for months waiting for her daddy to come back for her. He never did, and you know why? Because he is the fucking coward standing before me, and it's a sickening sight. You see though, you think you can just walk in and out of her life whenever you please and expect her to be okay with that, but I raised her much better than that. _My _little girl doesn't take shit from anyone much less a worthless piece of shit like you. That's my babygirl now, so I'm going to tell you this once and only once." His eyes flashed dangerously. "Look at me!" Warren's eyes snapped up, the fear evident within them as he gripped the hem of his coat. "If you ever lay another finger on _my _little girl. If I ever hear that you looked at her funny, went to her dorm room, balled a fist in her vicinity, I will personally come down here, and I will stick every book in this office so far up your ass that you will spit ink. Do you understand me?" No move. "I said do you understand me, Mitchell!" Warren at last nodded quickly. "Good. Have a wonderful day, you PhD fuck."

And Warren may or may not have nearly fainted once the man exited the office.

* * *

Chloe entered the apartment after laying into Senator Abram, setting the crumpled paper bag and drink holder in her hand down on the desk. Beca stood up instantly, and before Chloe could say a word, assuming the brunette was mad, Beca surged forward and threw her hands around the taller girl's neck. With her mother walking out of the room, Beca having to watch the first woman to ever enter her life walk out on her once again without a thought, it had brought the events of the previous day and night flooding back. The fight with Dr. Swanson, the engagement rings, Dean Posen, the park, the ten shots she took at Etta's, the stumble home and the talk with Chloe in the hallway had all been replayed. Chloe quickly wrapped her own arms around the small girl, kissing the crown of her head.

"I love you, Chloe," she gasped, tears still cascading down her face. "I do."

"I love you too, Becs," Chloe replied, stroking her chocolate locks. "Don't ever forget that."

"I won't."

"Come on now, sweetie, let's eat, okay? Dr. Everett and Dr. Gordon already know of the situation, so they know we won't be in. Amy, Stacie and Cynthia Rose will be here after their last class."

"She-she's gone, isn't she? Aubrey's gone too. Just like my mom."

Chloe sighed as Beca gripped her tighter. "Becs, listen to me, okay? First of all, your mother is no less of a coward than your father is. Don't ever forget that, but it was their fear that molded your fearlessness. It was their weakness that created your strength, and that's all you can ask. It isn't how hard you fall or how many times that you do. It's whether or not you get up each time that defines you. As for Aubrey, you have both been through a lot with your parents. We just have to let things cool down, and-"

"She's gonna marry him. She's gonna-"

Chloe now gripped her shoulders firmly, plopping her down on the bed and kneeling before her. She cupped her cheeks, wiping tears from them as she did so.

"Okay, now listen here, Mitchell," she said firmly. "You-are-a badass. You are not a quitter. You didn't quit before. You can't quit now. Let's give it a day. She'll see the flaw in all that happened. Her dad caught her off guard, but you have to show her and Dean Posen and Dr. fuckin' Swanson that you're not going to give up."

"How can I compete-"

"Beca Mitchell, you know how? You have one thing that Jesse Swanson will never have. You have Aubrey's heart, and it will be all that matters in the end. I mean, I can name a billion qualities that put you far above that guy, but I don't need to. That's the only thing that means anything in this situation. Let's just get through the hearing, and then we can sort it all out, but you can't give up on Aubrey, Beca. She needs you. If you walk away, you're leaving her to suffer."

It were as if the life came back to Beca's eyes even just slightly, and she nodded quickly to the redhead. Chloe smiled triumphantly and kissed her forehead.

"Okay, now let's eat. You look like death."

Beca smirked. "Thanks, Beale."

"That's what friends are for."

Chloe proceeded to unload the breakfast trays of omelets, and she handed Beca a coffee. She had texted Benji the moment she left from the room that Senator Abram had come, and he said he would be in touch shortly. Chloe did not know much when she sent the text, but after hearing the argument, Chloe was sure that Benji would know what to do if she failed to calm Beca. They ate in silence for a few moments before something struck Chloe.

"So," she chirped. "Did you really get called for a job in LA?"

A grin gradually spread across Beca's face as she nodded in confirmation. Chloe squealed in delight, nearly overturning her tray as she embraced the brunette. Beca nearly choked on her bite of omelet, forcing it down before patting Chloe's back.

"I'm so proud of you, Becs," she sighed in content, sitting back in her chair. "You deserve it, and I know you're gonna make big things happen."  
Beca's grin suddenly faltered as she looked up at Chloe. "Uh, Chlo," she breathed.

"Yeah?"

"Will we-uh, will you-are we still gonna-"

"Beca, no matter the distance, we will always be the best of friends. Besides, if I get into UCLA for med school in three years, I'll be there too."

"Really?" Beca beamed at this.

"Yeah, and Benji said that's where he wants to go too, so we'll all meet again."

"Yeah. Good because I don't want to lose you guys."

"You can't get rid of us that easy, Mitchell. Just remember we're always here for you."

"And thanks for what you said to my mom."

"Even if she didn't care, she needed to hear it, and I needed to say it. It doesn't matter though. We're family now, always and forever."

And that was okay with Beca. She found strength in knowing that she was not alone. She found courage in the bubbly redhead that had nonchalantly stepped through her boundaries and nestled into her life. She knew that she had to figure out how to get Aubrey back, but for now she just wanted to enjoy breakfast with Chloe and let her hangover go away. If it was meant to be, it would all work out. She continued to repeat that over and over in her head and hope that she would soon be able to believe it.

As the two finished up breakfast, there was a knock at the door. They eyed one another before Chloe stood up to answer it. When she opened it, she found Benji standing their with a bear of a man and a petite woman that she could only guess were his parents. She smiled and moved aside to let them in before she stepped out into the hall with Benji. When Beca saw Laura and Kenny, her eyes instantly welled up once more. Kenny had her in his arms before the first tear fell.

"Hey, hey, hey, Bug, it's okay," he coaxed, cradling her in his arms. "We're here."

"Becs, it's going to be fine," Laura crooned softly, stroking her hair.

"She-she just-walked out, again," Beca sobbed into the man's chest.

"Beca, I won't tell you not to feel sad because I know it must hurt. We understand that, but we want you to know that you aren't alone. You will never be alone, Beca. We love you far too much to ever let you think that. We always have. When Benji first brought you home, four-foot-nothing in your Power Ranger shirt and light-up shoes, I knew that you were going to be important to this family." Beca couldn't help the breathy chuckle that escaped her as Kenny roared a laugh.

"You had the coolest kicks in the neighborhood, Kiddo," he joked. "We had to keep you around."

"Beca, your parents don't see how beautiful of a person you are, but we do. We always have. You were the one who didn't make fun of the goofy boy who loved Star Wars. You were a bit apprehensive about being his friend at first when you chucked a light saber at him," She giggled now, and Beca smirked, recalling the memory of first meeting Benji. "but in the end, you befriended him. How many girls would punch kids' lights out for a little boy that lived next door? They made fun of you. They said he was your boyfriend, but you never turned away from him. Beca, you made a bigger impact on this family than you will ever know, and you're our babygirl no matter what. We can never thank you enough for letting us in, for being Benji's friend and coming into our home and letting us love you. You know, Spencer asks about you all of the time. She misses her little sister too, and you will always be that to her. Don't ever think you don't have family, honey. We love you oh so much."

"Yeah, Becs. You're my little girl, my fun-sized troll under the bridge," Kenny chortled, and Beca smiled through her tears. "And if I find out that Warren _ever_ put hands you again, I'll kill him with my bare hands. I told him that too."

Beca looked up at him now with wide eyes. "You-you did?"

"Yes, I did. He's the first man I went to see when we arrived."

"And?"

"And I'm pretty sure he shit himself." Beca giggled at that, and he pecked her forehead. "I love you, my little alt girl lesbian with mad lib beats."

Beca giggled even harder as he cuddled. "I love you too, Papa Bear."

And just like that, the woes left by Dr. Warren Mitchell and Senator Hanna Abram melted away.

* * *

"Aubrey, you're making a huge mistake!" That had been Ashley's cadence for the past hour.

"It's the sensible choice," Aubrey's robotic tone replied once more. "For all I know, Miss Mitchell could be a flight risk."

Ashley scoffed. "Are you listening to yourself, Bree? You-did they put you on shock therapy or something?"

"Ashley, I didn't come over to be patronized. I-"

"Yes, yes you did. You came to your best friend because you are terrified of what's to come, and you need someone to knock some sense into you. You need someone to be completely honest with you and tell you that if you go through with this, if you let Beca walk out of your life, you will live with regret for the rest of it. It will slowly tear you apart as it sinks in, and everyday you'll wake up to Jesse, and you'll open your eyes praying that it's Beca, and it won't be because you let her walk away."

"My father-"

"Fuck your father! Okay? I'm sorry, but it had to be said, Aubrey. He doesn't even care that Jesse's only with you for the money. Do you understand that? He doesn't care what you want at all. Is your father's will and his money and that estate worth throwing away the best thing that has ever happened to you? So you get written out of your father's will. So what? I would understand if he actually acted like he cared, but he doesn't, so why should you?"

"I'm sorry for coming." She stood to leave now.

"Really, Bree? I'm trying to help you. Are you going to just push me away?"

"I have to get back home before Daddy does."

"Aubrey, please."

"Goodbye, Ashley."

Ashley tried to stop her, but Aubrey was already out of the door. The brunette was deeply pained by her best friend's actions, and she knew that Beca had not been fairing well at all either. She had called Chloe that morning to find that the small DJ had come home severely drunk and that she had planned to propose to the blonde. That tore her to pieces. Two amazing people were suffering because of one's man control issues, and it was not fair. Not many things in life were, but this could be fixed. This could be stopped if Aubrey would just admit the truth to herself. Ashley knew what would happen if she didn't. It would kill her in the end if she let Beca go, but Ashley felt so helpless, and she had no idea what to do. She was about to lose her best friend, and that in itself brought her to her wit's end.

* * *

"How's she holding up?" Cynthia Rose asked now as she and Chloe fetched dinner for the group later that night. "Is she okay?"

"Her-mom came this morning," Chloe sighed.

"Senator Abram?"

"Yeah, and Beca-oh, it was so sad. Beca tried to get through to her. She-just poured everything out that has been hurting her since she was a kid, and you know how Beca is. That's hard for her, and Senator Abram-she was so cold with her. It killed me because Beca was pouring her heart out, and the woman couldn't even show a little bit of sympathy or hurt or-anything."

"You know, they're really missing out. Dr. Mitchell too. They don't see how much they contributed to the way she is, but-she has us."

"Yeah, she does. I-I may have gone off on her mom too before she left."

CR's eyes snapped to her before she barked a laugh. "You went off on a senator!"

"No, I went off on a coward."

"There's a lot of those around here. You got fire though, girl. I'm glad you're on our side."

Chloe giggled. "You should be. I'll always have your back, unless you hurt my best friend."

"Never that. I'm not trying to deal with you. How did B take it though?"

"She-she was hurt, but I was able to calm her down. She-she's worried about Aubrey."

"Honestly, I am too. That poor woman has been programmed by her father."

"I know. I talked to Ashley this morning and again awhile go, and she's really worried. She said that Aubrey won't even think over what's going on. She's acting like a robot. She's set on her father's wishes, but I'm hoping that they work it out. I mean, Beca's the only one that can get through to her, but how can she even talk to her with Dean Posen always watching now?"

"Yeah, we just have to hope that it works itself out, that Beca won't give up because Aubrey needs her more than ever. If not, well, we just have to be there for her. We have to save her."

"I know. I just hope we can figure out how. If anything, I'm going to have a long talk with Aubrey. With a baseball bat."

When they returned to the apartment, Amy had been able to get Beca laughing again, and Benji was now keeping her occupied with video games. Stacie was enthralled with watching them, but she did not really catch the gist of what was going on. Chloe set the pizza boxes on the desk, and Cynthia Rose unloaded drinks and plates from the plastic bag in her hands.

"Okay, guys, dinner's served," Chloe huffed, opening up the boxes lining the desk.

Beca and Benji turned off their game, and Chloe quickly inserted a DVD into the console to watch, a horror film to keep all romance at a minimum. Beca sat between Chloe and Benji on the bed, but the moment the movie started, her mind was on other things. She could not stop thinking about Aubrey, the pain in her eyes as she turned the brunette away, the fear and sadness in them that caused the bright emerald to become a dark forest green. She had no idea what she was going to do. With her father and her mother's words swirling around in her head, the pain in her chest returned. She tried to hold it in, stuffing more pizza into her mouth. She missed the blonde dearly, and it had only been a little more than twenty-four hours. She missed the kisses, the hugs, the gentle touches, the inside jokes and even the moments in silence only indulging in one another's company. The echoes emanated from the void that had now returned, and it filled Beca's ears like the saddest song she had ever heard. Before she knew it, tears were streaming from her eyes. Chloe noticed, but she did not call attention to it. Instead, she slid her arm around Beca's shoulders, the brunette instinctively curling into her side. The air was dense. All were aware that their DJ was not okay in the slightest. Benji's hand came to rest on her knee with a slight squeeze, and Stacie reached up to take her hand. Together, they would get through this. No one was running for the hills at Beca's gradual breakdown. No one was turning the other cheek, and Beca was well aware of who would be there when the smoke cleared. She only wished, pleaded that her friends could be good enough, that they could fill her heart again, that she only needed them. She wished that Chloe's touch, Cynthia Rose's positive thinking, Amy's humor and Benji's sweet disposition could fill in the void that was quickly becoming deafening. She wished that their love was all that she needed, but her heart would not take it. It was opting for gluttony, and the brunette was at a loss.

She just couldn't understand her train of thought. She should be running. She should be heading off to LA, calling Adeline right now to tell her she was ready to take the job. She should have been happy to cut all ties to Barden aside from her friends, but she wasn't. She couldn't even be happy about the gig. She had only told Chloe about it, and the excitement she had felt when she first took the call had been all but forgotten. Oh, how life and your outlook on it could be changed in a split second. Beca had always sworn off love for so long. It would only be right that she was the one to pursue it in the end and fall flat on her face. She wanted to feel hopeful. She wanted to feel determined. She wanted to be able to say that she had not given up, but she just did not have the strength or will to fight. As she fell asleep against the redhead's side, her dreams were haunted by sharp green eyes and honey blonde locks. They were etched inside of her eyelids, illuminated in the darkness as it consumed her whole. Their moments together were cliche, playing before her eyes like a movie. She remembered first seeing the blonde, those deep green eyes snapping up to look at her, and they felt as if they were boring into her soul. She remembered the first time the woman spoke, her voice slicing through the air like a whip, piercing Beca's every sense and washing over her. It had been so from the start. Aubrey had invaded and infiltrated Beca's every thought, and Beca had never regretted it. She couldn't even bring herself to now. She tried to convince herself that between the time they met and the time they parted, every smile, every touch, every kiss, every caress, every night of warm sheets was worth it. She could not bring herself to believe that it had all been a mistake. She remembered Aubrey's most critical words, the words that may have foreshadowed her departure.

_"Beca, I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I love you. I am in love with you, and that was always the truth."_

Deep in her heart, Beca had always known that Aubrey was not hers to keep. She had been given the time however, time that they had never been promised to begin with, much more time than they had ever expected. For that, she was thankful. There was no immediate solution, but what she sat on now was the question that had always lingered in the back of their minds. Was it worth fighting for?

**_The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love. ~ Henry Miller_**


	19. A Call to Arms: The Final Stand

**_A/N: Okay so here we go. You know, I went over this chapter and the next over several times. I feel like this is the best way to do it. I won't say anything else, but just know that it was well thought through. Someone asked for some Senator Abram POV. I promise you this. There is nothing right with her at all. I never make her anything that what she was. So here we go_**

**_Song: Wonderwall-Oasis_**

* * *

_Today is gonna be the day_

_That they're gonna throw it back to you_

_By now you should've somehow_

_Realized what you gotta do_

_I don't believe that anybody_

_Feels the way I do about you now_

_Backbeat the word was on the street_

_That the fire in your heart is out_

_I'm sure you've heard it all before_

_But you never really had a doubt_

_I don't believe that anybody feels_

_The way I do about you now_

_And all the roads we have to walk are winding_

_And all the lights that lead us there are blinding_

_There are many things that I would_

_Like to say to you_

_But I don't know how_

_Because maybe_

_You're gonna be the one that saves me_

_And after all_

_You're my wonderwall_

_Today was gonna be the day_

_But they'll never throw it back to you_

_By now you should've somehow_

_Realized what you're not to do_

_I don't believe that anybody_

_Feels the way I do_

_About you now_

_And all the roads that lead you there were winding_

_And all the lights that light the way are blinding_

_There are many things that I would like to say to you_

_But I don't know how_

_I said maybe_

_You're gonna be the one that saves me_

_And after all_

_You're my wonderwall_

_I said maybe_

_You're gonna be the one that saves me_

_And after all_

_You're my wonderwall_

_Said maybe_

_You're gonna be the one that saves me_

_You're gonna be the one that saves me_

_You're gonna be the one that saves me_

* * *

Beca conveyed no emotion. Her hands sat clasped in her lap, eyes fixed on the mahogany before her. Her ankles were crossed on the floor, body still with her lips pursed. Dean Marshall and her mother flanked her, Dr. Swanson beside Senator Abram and Dr. Mitchell beside Dean Marshall. Dean Walsh and Dean Caine flanked Director Mendenhall at the opposite end of the table, Dean Posen, Dr. Kendrick, Dr. Jones, Dr. Kenmore and Dean Evans filling in the spaces among them. The air held a palpable tension, silence blanketing the occupants at the moment. Dr. Posen was absent from the hearing at her father's demand despite the fact she was back on the campus that day, and though Beca was deeply disappointed, unaware of the man's direction but having a hunch, she remained indifferent. When the men were settled, they prompted Dr. Swanson to first go through the events of the day in question. They then prompted Dr. Mitchell on his input of Beca's "violent nature". She could see it in the director's eyes that his mind had already been made up, but she didn't care. This would be her final week at Barden one way or another. Beca was only doing this because it was mandatory, an incident that would go on her record if she was found at fault for the fiasco. When they addressed her, requesting her explanation of all that had gone on, she stood and gave them the play-by-play details of the altercation with her father and the scuffle with Dr. Swanson. When they questioned her, she answered truthfully, not caring at all what it sounded like to this room full of uptight higher-ups. She did not react to the smirk on Dean Posen's face or the smug look on Dr. Swanson's lips. She gave her account of the events honestly and promptly without stumble. The heads listened carefully, jotting details down and shooting glances at one another. Beca was heavily questioned on her relationship with Aubrey once more, and she obediently repeated the story they had worked out before meeting with Dean Marshall. Senator Abram wore a stoic expression, stone still in her seat as her daughter spoke.

To say that she did not care for her daughter would be both wrong and right. She was here as an obligation because a story had leaked that it was her daughter causing a ruckus at Barden University. Once upon a time, Senator Abram was a regular family-oriented woman, a humble politician in Georgia, and a nurturing mother. Sure, she had never meant to wind up with Warren Mitchell. They had made a mistake. A day speaking at Barden became a night gone wrong, and eight weeks later, she at last admitted that she knew why her stomach was so weak, why her bathroom breaks had increased and why her appetite had grown. She and Warren then married at their parents' insistence, and Warren didn't have a problem. She grew to tolerate him and at times enjoy his company. Her mother and father were there to help, and she began to actually enjoy her time with her babygirl. They spent summers and winters with the grandparents bonding, and Hanna found the beauty in family, in her little girl. Then, it all changed. The year that she joined the Senate was the year her father passed on. Her mother had gone just seven months prior, and the trips up to West Virginia ended. She was traveling so much, and she began to hear the complaints from Warren. That did it. She regretted ever sleeping with him, ever meeting him, ever marrying him, and she regretted birthing his child. And she ran. She threw herself further into her work, and when Beca would call, she had her agents field it like any other call. She wasn't there when Warren walked out. In fact, she didn't show for another month after Laura Applebaum called. Even then, she stayed only a few days, gone the moment that Laura and Kenny agreed to watch over Beca. She tried her best to forget that she had a daughter. Many of her fellow politicians had not even known in the first place, but Beca was Warren's, and she was the reason Hanna had been forced into a marriage with him. No, she had once loved the girl, but now, in addition to being Warren's spawn, she was all sorts of trouble, and Hanna Abram wanted nothing to do with it. If Warren would just stop calling her, if the press would just stop paying attention to the teen, she could too. Hopefully, once she took Beca out of Barden and set her up with enough money to get settled wherever, she didn't care where, she would never have to be reminded of her most haunting mistake again. She would never have to hear Beca cry to her again. The day that Beca poured out her heart in front of the woman, Hanna felt nothing but disgust. It was the same whining and crying she had heard from the girl's father, and she was done with it. She was far to beneficial to her career to have to deal with the likes of children. The kid would be okay one day. Hanna lost her parents too, and though they had loved her, she figured Beca would turn up just as well. Yeah, no. She couldn't dwell on it. She couldn't look at Beca and feel anything but regret no matter how at fault she was.

When they had interrogated Beca to their satisfaction, she was asked to leave the room during the debriefing. She was not surprised when her mother and Dean Posen followed her out, Hanna not even offering a glance as she walked down the hall towards her detail and assistant to give an update. Beca took a seat in the chair outside of the door silently, and her body tensed, hands gripping the edges of the armrests as Dean Posen took the seat beside her with that irking smirk on his face. He only wanted to make sure she didn't sneak away to see Aubrey. As if he could stop her if she chose to do so.

"I do hope you understand the devastating mistake you have made hear, Miss Mitchell," he sighed, "and I do hope that you learn from it."

"I will do my very best, Sir," she shot back sardonically, staring down the hall.

"I do understand that you tried to infect my daughter's mind with your unorthodox and profound ideals, but you will not deface one of the highest names in this community."

Beca had, in her mind, always known that she would reach this point, that she would be forced to sit in close proximity with the man that had brought so much pain and fear upon the heart of her beloved. She did not fear the man. She was not intimidated. She had stood up to her mother, and though she had not received any adequate response from the woman, she had spoken her peace and gained closure in the process. She had released all that she had held back for over a decade, and fear no longer existed for humans of any nature in her. She had been capable of liberating herself and finding a fresh breath of air. Now, sitting beside the man that had torn her life apart in a matter of minutes, she had been holding all too much back, and the dam was no longer as sturdy as it had once been. She was no longer one to hold back, and knowing these would be her last words to the man no matter the outcome drove her to complete honesty and full disclosure. No, she was not afraid of this man. What she was afraid of was allowing this man to take from her the only thing that meant anything at all. What she was afraid of was allowing this man to continue to strike fear in his daughter's heart. Beca Mitchell was closed off, cynical, apprehensive, reserved, but she was not afraid of anyone, and she was no longer one to bite her tongue. Yes, what she had with Aubrey Posen was far beyond worth fighting for, and today was the call to arms.

"With all due respect, Sir, and you can take that any way you please because I really don't mean it, but you are a coward."

He scoffed. "That's quite the accusation."

"It isn't an accusation. It's a proven fact. Have you ever asked Aubrey what she wanted? Have you ever even talked to her without reading off of a schedule or writing out a blueprint of her life? You're handing her over to a man capable of hurting her, of tearing her apart, a man who doesn't give a damn about what she wants and only what she has. What type of father are you?"

"I-"

"No, wait. Don't answer that. I know what type of father you are. I had a father like you once upon a time. You're the control freak father that can't handle others being happier than you, that can't allow others to find solace in something other than _your _plan. You use fear and intimidation to get your way, and you have been the puppet master to that woman since the day that she was born."

"You don't know anything about me."

"Oh, but I do. Much more than I would like to admit."

"I don't have to listen to this."

She turned to him now, leaning forward in her chair, and he looked shocked. "Oh, but you will because you will understand that you are making the biggest mistake by selling your daughter off to that idiot in there."

"You speak as if you are above him."

"I am. I'm not the delusional one that forces others into my fairy tale script, that tries to fit them into a mold. I only ever gave Aubrey what she wanted, what she needed, and she was happy with me. Have you ever seen her smile? Like really smile, not that grimace that flashes across her face every time you make an appearance, every time Dr. Swanson shows up. Have you ever heard her laugh? If you have, I bet you don't remember it, but that laugh is worth the world to me. Have you ever heard her sing? It's the sweetest sound on this earth, and I would die to hear to that song. Really, Dr. Posen? Have you ever seen her happy? Genuinely happy? Because I have, and that happiness means everything to me. I love Aubrey. I wish I could say the same for either of you."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. You're a child."

"No, the whiny, psychotic man in there whose life is based on Hollywood fallacies is a child. He's the man that will throw her around and throw a temper tantrum to get what he wants, and maybe you don't know your daughter, but I do, and she deserves the world on a silver platter. She deserves the best that life has to offer, and she won't find it with him or with you in that cage you keep her in."

"This is preposterous. You are out of your-"

"Yes, I am. I am completely out of my mind. I am crazy about your daughter, but you wouldn't know the half of it if I sat here and drew you out a diagram because you are a self-centered, diabolical moron that has successfully taken all of the light out of his daughter's eyes."

By now, Beca's voice had risen significantly, and Senator Abrams was eyeing the two skeptically. When she saw Beca rise out of her chair slightly, she began to make her way over, catching Dean Posen's retort.

"You listen here, Miss Mitchell. I will not be spoken to in this way. You know nothing about my daughter nor I, and there is something wrong in your head if you believe that you are good enough for my daughter. You are nothing but trouble and a hassle, and I understand now why your father thinks so little of you."

"My father only does so because he can't handle the truth. He's in the same bracket as you. My father walked out on me because he was too weak to handle his responsibilities the same way that my mother was. I was conceived by two cowards, but I was raised to be better than them and you."

Another scoff. "You are not helping your case any, Miss Mitchell. You're through here, and you will never see my daughter again. You already lost."

Now Beca stood up with haste, and Senator Abram's stepped even closer to her, calling her detail over. The anger sparkled in the DJ's eyes now, fists balled at her sides. The dean let out a hearty chuckle.

"What is it, Miss Mitchell?" he asked with a smile. "Are you going to hit me too?"

She laughed now as well. "Oh, no, Dean Posen. That's much too easy. What I am going to tell you is that I'm here to stay, and I'm not moving. You knew that. That's why you tried to buy me off. That's why you're here babysitting me because you know I'd win on fair grounds."

"Insanity. I think you better reconsider that statement while-"

"What color are Aubrey's eyes, Dean Posen?"

Both Hanna and Dean Posen froze at the random question. "Wh-what?"

"What-is the color-of your-daughter's irises?" she slowly repeated in a condescending manner.

"They're-what? I don't have to put up with this." He laughed now albeit nervously, fixing his sport jacket. "This is ridiculous."

"You don't know, do you?"

"Of course I know!" he boomed now.

He glared up at her, hand tightly gripping the lapel of his coat, and for the first time, his true anger was evident through gritted teeth. Beca restrained the smirk playing at the left side of her lips because she knew now that she had crawled beneath his thick skin which was now flaming red. She had him coming unhinged, and that was the only satisfaction she needed now. She gave him an expectant look, and when he answered in a raised voice, almost a blatant roar, she knew she had him.

"She is _my _daughter. They are the same grey as mine!"

And now she smirked down at him, slowly shaking her head in mock disappointment as Senator Abram eyed Beca closely.

"No, you douchebag," she sighed. "They're green. Now excuse me."

With that, she turned down the hall, ignoring her mother reaching for her arm and darting off towards the stairs. She raced down them two by two until she reached the appropriate floor that she needed to be on. Cynthia Rose, Amy and Chloe stood there at the mouth of the hall, and Chloe held out her hand as she passed. Beca snatched the small, velvet box from her fingers with a smile.

"Good luck!" the trio called after the DJ.

"Just buy me some time!" she threw over her shoulder.

"Oh, we got this covered, Short Stack!" Amy assured her. "Go get her, you little rascal. It's time to unleash the cracken!"

When Beca reached the familiar door, she halted dead in her tracks. The moment her momentum was ceased, her nerves became overwhelming. Her chest constricted slightly, but she forced all of it to the back of her mind. She needed to do this now. Soon, everyone would be coming after her, and if she had any shot at this, she needed as much time as possible. With the thought of what could happen if she failed, she hesitated, but with the thoughts of what could be if she succeeded, she found her motivation and threw open the door. Aubrey jumped when it hit the wall, and when she saw who stood there before her, she nearly fell over from both fear and relief. Beca quickly closed the door and locked it behind her before rushing towards the blonde. Aubrey stood her ground near her desk, stopping Beca from hugging her.

"Beca, you-you can't be here," she breathed, not meeting the brunette's eyes. "You have to-"

"No," Beca cut in sternly.

"Beca, we can't-I can't-"

"You can. Aubrey, we both know that this isn't what you want. We both know you aren't happy with him, that we love each other."

"Beca, love isn't enough! It was all just a-a dream, a fantasy we entertained for awhile, but it cannot possibly end well for any-"

"Yes, it can! Aubrey, Baby, listen to me. I was coming over here to get you for lunch that day to tell you that a record label offered me a job in LA. They'll pay for our airfare, our vehicle shipping, and they'll help us settle in."

Aubrey's eyes bulged. "I-I'm happy for you, Beca, but I can't-"

"I know that you want to believe that I'm a flight risk, but I'm being real. This is real for me, Aubrey. These past few days without you have been torture, worse than death, and I never want to feel that pain again. If I didn't need you, I would've left already, but the dream can't come true without you. I can't just leave you here to be miserable with him, and I can't walk away. I put my whole heart and soul into this, into us, and I told you that I would fight until the death. I love you, Aubrey, and I know you love me too, so please just listen to me when I say that this is a sure thing. I'll prove it forever. If you don't take me now, I will be forced to wait for you no matter how long takes."

Aubrey's eyes were full of tears now, her bottom lip quivering. "Beca, I can't-"

"Baby, please! I promise you that I will spend the rest of my life making you happy, making you comfortable, giving you the happiness that you deserve. Just trust me."

Now, the handle of the door jiggled, first softly and then viciously, and Beca knew she was running out of time. Chloe and the others could only babble with the deans for so long. She couldn't lose, not now, not again. She took the box that Chloe had given her, and she dropped to both knees in front of Aubrey. Now, the blonde looked at her, and she gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth as Beca revealed the large diamond ring inside.

"Trade me rings," she said softy.

"No," Aubrey gasped. "Beca, please, please don't do this."

"No, you don't do this, Bree. You don't throw this away! This is us! This is what's meant for us!" The banging on the door now began, voices hollering outside, but Beca kept her eyes on the blonde before her. "Baby, please just trust me. Marry me, and let me take you away."

"Beca, I-I can't! Can't you see! I have to do this. This is my fate, my life. This is what it takes to be successful. This is the life meant for me. You deserve someone that isn't afraid to love you, to be with you."

"I don't want anyone else! I want you. I _need _you. I've never needed anyone in my entire life, and now it's you. I do. I need you, Aubrey Posen, and I cannot stand to live another moment without you. This isn't your life! This is Jesse's fantasy and your dad's stupid blueprint, but you can change all that!"

"Beca, this can't work!" There was shouting in the hall now, and Beca swore she heard Dean Posen yell for a janitor. "I-this will never work! This isn't for me! I have to do this! I have to be this! I can't be the one for you. I can't be perfect for you. I-"

"I don't want you to be perfect! I just want you to be mine. That may sound a million times harder to you, but I know that you can do it because you need that control, and I can handle being your arch rival because in the end, hating me is just your way of loving me, and I love that about you. You're it for me, Bree. That's just it."

Aubrey was at a loss now. She could not breathe, but when she looked into those steal blue eyes, the ones that she had tried with all of her might not to meet for fear of the repercussions, to forget, their entire time spent together flashed through her mind. She remembered being genuinely happy. She remembered authentically smiling. She remembered lighting up each time Beca kissed her, hugged her, touched her, complimented her or even just breathed her name. She remembered why it had all happened at all. She had fallen head-over-heels, hopelessly, irrevocably and madly in love with the small brunette before her. Seeing the hope, the tears, the pain, the fear and a million other emotions in those stormy blue orbs made Aubrey's heart both swell and break all at once. How could something so bad feel so good? How could something so good feel all bad? How could all that she was taught to be right feel completely wrong? How could what she knew to be wrong feel like the only thing that was right?

The banging on the door intensified. The muffled yelling in the distance raised in volume. Then there was the jingling of keys, and panic set in. She had one more chance, one more shot to make one more decision for herself. If she left, she would no longer be welcomed in her childhood home, at Barden University, in her father's presence. All she had ever known was her father. Ironically, it was her comfort zone, where she felt most at ease even when she was not at ease at all. If she took Beca's hand and made the deadly leap, she would never see her family again. She would never have anything to come back to in Barden, Georgia. Beca could wait all she wanted, but if Aubrey didn't do it now, she would never again be able to build up enough courage. If she stayed in Barden, she would have her father and mother and Jesse. She would be completely miserable, but she would find solace in the fact that her father didn't hate her, that he still accepted her. She knew she would never hear him utter the words she had so desperately craved. "I'm proud of you" would never fall from the proudest man's lips, and she understood that, but he would still be her father. If she left, she could deal with being cut from the will. The money meant nothing. The simplified choice was between a scary, brand new life on the other side of the country with an eighteen-year-old musician she had known less than a year and her home, the life she had always known and had grown accustomed to, what she was bred for. That was what she had to choose between. It was no longer between Beca and Jesse or Beca and her father. It was between being pragmatic and being honest with herself. That's what it came down to, and she understood that fully as the door swung open to reveal Dean Posen, Senator Abram, Dr. Swanson, Dr. Mitchell, several campus police officers, the janitor and Dean Marshall. Chloe, Amy and Cynthia Rose weren't too far behind.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Beca!" Dr. Mitchell shouted first when he registered the sight of his daughter on her knees, an engagement ring in her fingers. "Get up!"

Beca's eyes did not waver from Aubrey. She needed Aubrey to focus on her. She needed the blonde to see her determination, her perseverance, her adamant refusal to give up and walk away. She needed Aubrey to know that this was real, and that she was not afraid of anyone that was now flooding into the room to stop her. Aubrey's eyes were locked on her, and she needed to keep it that way. It was crucial now because if she lost the blonde today, it was over. There were no more chances. She had already called LA. She told them that she would be there in two weeks. All she had to do now was confirm her plus one. It was now or never.

"Beca, get up," Senator Abram's sharp tone cut through the air. "You are making a fool of yourself as well as me. Now cut this out, and let's go." Beca did not move. "Beca, did you not hear me? Get up."

"Now, everyone needs to calm down." Dean Marshall now took control, stepping in front of everyone. "Everyone stand back."

Dean Marshall was no idiot. He had known Aubrey long enough to know how unhappy she had always seemed to be. He also knew that this unhappiness was derived from Dr. Swanson and Dean Posen. If he could slyly give Aubrey a chance at better, at realizing the reality even in the smallest of ways like stopping everyone from tackling Beca, he would take that opportunity. He did not know Beca Mitchell all too well, but what he saw was the light in Aubrey's eyes and the color that filled her face and the glow that encased her when they had come into his office, when they had been given the green light to start a relationship. He knew that the relationship had started before that meeting, but he kept it to himself because had it been his daughter, he would want to see her happy. Never had he seen that on the young girl, and he had to at least give them a chance, not as a dean but as a human being, as a father to a daughter.

"Aubrey," Jesse's voice now echoed through the dense silence. "Aubrey, what are you doing? Come on. Tell her to go. This is ridiculous. She is a delusional child. Look at her. She looks like a lost puppy."

"You would know what that looks like," Aubrey breathed, shocking everyone when she spoke.

"Wh-what? Aubrey, we are engaged. Come on."

"But why?" She still did not look away from Beca. "You're only here for the money. You don't care what I want or what I need. You don't care about me."

"That isn't true." He looked around nervously now, worried more for his reputation than anything. "You know that isn't true, Bree. I-"

"You played me. You and my father had this plan all worked out. You marry me and keep me close to him, and you get your share of the inheritance. You can have it."

Now, the firm tone that Aubrey had been terrified to hear entered her ears, all of her senses, and she flinched. Her blood ran cold in an instant, body rigid in fear as her lip once more trembled.

"Aubrey, you need to stop this," Dean Posen said calmly. "I know that you feel sorry for the girl. I know that you're afraid. With her attacking two of our professors, you must be terrified of what she is capable of, but you don't have to do this. You are well protected. Miss Mitchell will be out of this school before the weekend is over, and you will be just fine. Jesse will take the utmost care of you, and you can stop believing these lies and fallacies that she's invading your mind with, sweetheart. Listen to me. This is your life here, honey, and no one can take that from you."

Beca knew she was losing now. She could see it in Aubrey's eyes as they found another shade of green in them. Dean Posen had gone with the low blow. He had resorted to false hope with a soft tone and pet names. He was making her believe that he was actually doing this for her own good, and Beca could see that. She was in a panic now, so as Aubrey's eyes began to waver, and she began to turn towards her father, Beca did the only thing that she could think to do. She could not lose this. She only knew one way to get Aubrey to focus on her and solely her. She began to sing in a room full of people that despised her.

_You tell all the boys "No"_

_Makes you feel good, yeah._

_I know you're out of my league_

_But that won't scare me away, oh, no_

At this, Chloe, Amy and Cynthia Rose provided backup vocals and the beat for the brunette from the hall and gained some weird looks from the professors, realizing what she was doing and remembering the song from so long ago. Aubrey's heart was a puddle in her chest now as her tears began to fall heavier.

_You've carried on so long,_

_You couldn't stop if you tried it._

_You've built your wall so high_

_That no one could climb it,_

_But I'm gonna try._

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect?_

_Take it off now, girl, take it off now, girl_

_I wanna see inside_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

_You let all the girls go_

_Makes you feel good, don't it?_

_Behind your Broadway show_

_I heard a boy say, "Please, don't hurt me"_

_You've carried on so long_

_You couldn't stop if you tried it._

_You've built your wall so high_

_That no one could climb it._

_But I'm gonna try_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect?_

_Take it off now, girl, take it off now, girl_

_I wanna see inside_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight, oh, tonight?_

No one really comprehended what was happening aside from Aubrey, Chloe, Amy, Beca and Cynthia Rose. The redhead looked over at her partners in crime with a smirk at the back of the group as Beca's sweet voice rang through the office and down the corridor over their perfect beat. Aubrey's eyes now shed fresh tears, and she could not help the smile now on her face. Yes, that voice alone had always been one to calm her, soothe her, bring her to peace, but this was no ordinary song. This was _their _song, the first song that Beca had ever sung to her, and it held a special place in her heart. It spoke the truth of the matter, all of Beca's emotions towards the blonde, and it fit every crevice between them. It captivated her in a way nothing and no one else could, and as tears glistened in the brunette's eyes, she was brought back to their time of joy and elation. Jesse wasn't all that crazy. The dramatic and epic movie endings could in fact come to life with the right people. This could be her chance. All she had to do was say yes, was reach over and pull Beca into her arms and never again let go. It would be so simple. Her knight in skinny jeans and chucks had come back to rescue her, undeterred by all of those in the room with them that had tried to come between them. If Beca, young, wild and free Beca Mitchell could fight, why couldn't she? Then the reason why hit her, his voice filling the room as Beca faded out. Now, his tone was so forceful, that her eyes automatically snapped towards him.

"Aubrey Gabrielle Posen, you need to end this now!" he boomed, causing many around to blanch slightly. "Is this what you want? You want to take a gamble and roll the dice on this teenage girl with no ambition and little worth? Her own father came here to damn her, and you think she's worth anyone's time that you're sitting here wasting? This childish act has been put to a stop. If you continue this, I guarantee that you will not like the consequences. You are to stop this right now and walk away from all of this. She is out, and that is the last of it. Now, stop making fools out of all of us. Miss Mitchell, leave this premises immediately. Aubrey, let's go home."

"Daddy," she breathed, her cheeks flush and her body trembling. "I-I-"

"AUBREY! This is over! Do I make myself clear!"

"Bree," Beca now whispered beside her. "Take this jump with me."

"I SAID-DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!"

Aubrey's eyes dribbled back and forth between her infuriated father and her pleading Beca. She bit down hard on her lip, and though she knew how much this would hurt, she had to do what was in the best regards of her future. It needed to be done. She only needed to break her heart one more time, and the next time it healed, it would never be broken again. She knew this was it, the last chance, and there was no turning back from it, but she just continued to repeat the cadence over and over in her head.

_It's for the best. It has to be done._

Eyes met, Aubrey's gaze set on the choice that she prayed to God she could live with for the rest of her mortal life, and with a curt nod, she gave her decision and left all in the room save for a few breathless. No, there was no turning back. As the tears began to fall again, she only hoped for deliverance now. This was her destiny, and she had to live with that. As she came to terms, the sound of a heart shattering for the final time echoed through the building.

"Leave."


	20. It Was For The Best

**_A/N: I know you guys hate me, and for this I am terribly sorry. I know that it wasn't what all expected, but I figured that it would just be too easy for Aubrey just to say yes, and I hope you understand. Please dont hate me. Here is the next chapter. Please come in with open mind and read all the way through_**

**_Song: A Love Like War-All Time Low_**

* * *

_Make a wish on our sorry little hearts_

_Have a smoke_

_Pour a drink_

_Steal a kiss in the dark_

_Fingernails on my skin_

_Like the teeth of a shark_

_I'm intoxicated by the lie_

_In the chill of your stare_

_I am painfully lost_

_Like a deer in the lights_

_Of an oncoming bus_

_For the thrill of your touch_

_I will shamefully lust_

_As you tell me we're nothing but trouble_

_Fail safe trigger lock down_

_Call wipe the dry clean slate_

_Quick sound the alarm_

_No escape from the truth_

_And the weight of it all_

_I am caught in the web of a lie_

_And the bitch of it all_

_Is that I'm running from_

_The desire of the people_

_To whom I belong_

_At the end of the day_

_You can tell me I'm wrong_

_'Cause you went to all the trouble_

_Heart's on fire tonight_

_Feel my bones ignite_

_It feels like war (it feels like war)_

_Love feels like war (love feels like war)_

_Heart's on fire tonight_

_Feel my bones ignite_

_Love feels like war_

_Feels like war, war_

_Heart's on fire tonight_

_Feel my bones ignite_

_Love feels like war_

_Feels like war, war_

_We go together or we don't go down at all_

_We go together or we don't go down at all_

_We go together or we don't go down at all_

_Is this the end of us_

_Or just the means to start again_

* * *

The boxes were strategically stacked in what was to be the living room. The new home smell greeted her coldly as the place felt so empty at the moment. It was a spacious condominium, two bedrooms which would account for an actual bedroom and the in-home studio and office that would need to be set up. Her steps padded softly against the hardwood of the foyer as she brought in another box. She had been ignoring the periodic pain in her chest, the remembrance of all that had occurred before she had found the courage to make it this far, to leave Georgia forever, to leave her parents and her broken relationship with them. She had tried too many times to fix it, to make them proud, but they were as stubborn as she was, and she was tired of fighting for those that could so easily walk away in the end as if she had never meant anything to them at all.

She set her laptop case on the kitchen island as the moving truck pulled into the driveway. The supervisor stepped off and approached her with a warm smile.

"Miss Mitchell?" he asked to confirm.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Okay." He checked it on his clipboard and waved in his men. "Let's get you set up."

Ordering furniture online had been quite the adventure, a task that Beca had vehemently put off for as long as possible, but she had needed the order ready by the time she made it out to the condo, so it had been tended to the week before. Sleeping on the floor her first night in LA was not an ideal welcome to the city in the slightest. She directed traffic, telling everyone where to put what. Though she couldn't really bring herself to care at the moment, she knew that it would irritate her later if it was out of place, and she wouldn't want to move it herself. Her vehicle shipment had arrived the night before, and a taxi had been the form of transportation from the airport. The weather had been beautiful coming in, a light breeze washing over the coast. As she stood near the back door, she could make out the shoreline in the distance, and she smiled. It was really more the ghost of a smile, almost a sad smile, but she tried not to think of why. It had been a rough six weeks surely, but she had made it. She was here now, and all looked bright. Once she could accept leaving what she had back in Barden, Georgia, everything would be okay. It had to be. She was going to be okay. She knew that. For the sake of her sanity, she had to be. She had finally found closure with her past though not in the way that she had wanted, but it would suffice. The ones that meant everything to her, the ones that were worth it, would remain around. Friends would visit whenever they could, and they would talk on the phone and Skype. Everyone would ask how LA was, and she hoped that she would eventually be able to say that it was everything she could ever want. This was her life now, and she planned to make the best of it. She had come too far to relapse now.

As the movers finished bringing in all of the furniture and putting it in the correct places, she returned to the kitchen. Her phone buzzed as it had been doing so all day, Chloe in an attempt to keep her sane. She looked down at the message, sending back a reply that she hoped sounded happier than she currently felt. If not, it would eventually.

Once she finished signing the necessary forms with the movers, she saw the men off. She then grabbed her laptop case and flopped onto the couch with a deep sigh. She hated the echo of the place. She had to get used to the time of solitary. Though she hoped it wouldn't be much, she knew that it would still occur here and there. She knew that though there would inevitably be long days at the label headquarters, there would also be quiet nights. Empty sheets late into the night, all-night mixing sessions, strings of frustrated curse words emanating from the studio. Yes, it all came with the territory. She would grow accustomed to it of course. She had always been good at adaptation. She quickly opened up her laptop and put some music on to blot out the silence, still trying to comprehend why it made her so anxious. It would not last forever in the way that days and nights working at the studio or with label representatives and slaving over paperwork would not last forever. They would coincide and even one another out. She had a reason to be proud however, to be happy with her new position, and she would embrace it when it began the following day. Today had been free for her, but she couldn't wait to jump in.

She decided to order takeout. The movers had left a hefty list of nearby delivery places for her convenience, and the first night in a new place would surely do for good use of it. Opting for Chinese, she called them up and placed the order. Once she terminated the call, she settled back on the sofa, laying down and allowing the music to take over her mind. All that was left to do now was wait.

She had already made the necessary contact back home to assure that she had arrived in one piece. The only one that had been constantly texting her all day was Chloe. She had been giggling at her phone most of the time before resorting back to that stoic expression as her mind reeled, and she was glad to know that they were closer than ever after all that had occurred when once upon a time, she was afraid that it would tear them apart, that she would lose all of her new friends. The redhead asked about the flight, the new home, the moving in and the furniture order. Chloe asked about working at the label, how it would be and if she was excited. She found that Chloe could make a conversation out of just about anything, and she was grateful that she didn't have to dictate it whatsoever.

When the doorbell rang, she pulled money from her wallet and answered the door. Handing over the fee and the tip, she took the food bag from the delivery boy's hands with a smile. She put the bag on the island then and sat down, but she did not immediately open it. She hated eating alone. When had she become so against solitude? When had she become so dependent on another? Yeah, she knew exactly when, but she would play dumb. It terrified her to no end, but in some parts of her brain, it made her smile. Still, she had to get used to these times alone with her thoughts. At some point, new thoughts, happier thoughts would replace them. That was something to look forward to. It should be a good thing. Why fight it? This was a good thing. Picking up suddenly and moving across the country was the best thing for her after waiting six extra weeks, for everyone. It had solidified the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. It was meant to remove all worry and stress, to make life so much easier. It would. She knew it would. It was only the first night, and she was still adjusting. No one could blame her.

She decided that maybe it was best to call Chloe, talk on the phone a bit and hear a voice rather than read the bubbly girl's texts, to further fill the silence in the house for awhile. Just as she was about to hit the call button on her phone however, she heard keys jingling. She sighed in relief, setting her phone down on the countertop with a smile. She turned just as the door opened. She was met with a lopsided grin and steel blue eyes that held a surplus of childish mirth within them. The anxiety fell away, and she mirrored that grin.

"Hey, Princess," Beca sighed, rushing over and throwing her arms around her wife.

"Hey, Honey," Aubrey replied, pecking her lips.

Beca looked around a moment before whispering, "It's so quiet in here."

She scoffed. "You're telling me. I was going crazy. It's so lonely."

"Don't worry, Baby, you'll be starting work soon, so we'll be together like all the time. They want me to bring my team in Thursday."

"Team? I'm the only one on your 'team' so far."

"Shhh. Don't tell anyone." And they shared a giggled.

Yes, Aubrey could get used to the loss of her father because she had the love of her life with her.

* * *

_Aubrey's eyes dribbled back and forth between her infuriated father and her pleading Beca. She bit down hard on her lip, and though she knew how much this would hurt, she had to do what was in the best regards of her future. It needed to be done. She knew this was it, the last chance, and there was no turning back from it, but she just continued to repeat the cadence over and over in her head._

__**It's for the best. It has to be done.**

_Emerald green eyes met steel blue orbs. Aubrey's gaze set on Beca, the choice to be emancipated from her father that she prayed to God she could live with for the rest of her mortal life. With a curt nod to the brunette, she gave her decision and left all in the room save for a few breathless. Four to be exact. Chloe, Cynthia Rose, Amy and Beca breathed a sigh of relief as Aubrey looked down on the brunette and gave her that nod, her agreement to begin their life together. Beca quickly stood, practically ripping the ring off of Aubrey's finger and replacing it with her own. She then tossed it to a shocked Jesse, who made no move to catch it, causing it to fall to the floor with a clatter._ _No, there was no turning back. As the tears began to fall again, both of joy and of pain, Aubrey only hoped for deliverance now. This was her destiny, and she had to live with that, with letting her father down one last time. _

_As she came to terms, the sound of a heart shattering for the final time echoed through the building. She felt it as it broke apart in her chest, knowing this would be the last time she would ever see her father again. It was painful, but she knew that she would never be able to live with herself _**and**_ live without Beca. This was her destiny, not her father's. This was her last chance, and there was no way in hell she was going to throw it away for a man she could never appease._

_"Leave," she instructed Jesse and her father, casting a glance their way._

_"What!" Dean Posen shouted. "Aubrey-"_

_"No, Daddy! I am a grown woman, and I made no mistake in my decisions. Unlike you and your prized possession there next to you, Beca actually cares about me, really cares about me and what I want, what I _**_need_**_. She always put me first, and that will be the last time you degrade her in front of me! She loves me, and I love her, and there is no way that I'm letting you take the best thing in my life away from me! You have done enough of that, and I'm done with it. You want to cut me from your will? Go ahead. I'm leaving Barden too. You want to cut me from your life? That's your decision, but it will prove to me what kind of man you really are. I only ever wanted to make you proud, and for what? So you can sell me to a man that doesn't care about me at all? No, I'm not going to be your little trophy anymore, Jesse. I'm not going to be my dad's payout anymore. I am in love with Beca, and no one in this room is going to change that."_

_"Aubrey, you need to-"_

_"Stop! Like I said, leave my office. If you can't do that yourself, I'm sure these officers can assist you. Beca fought for me. With her cowardly father and her egotistical mother, she fought for me. She never gave up on me, and it's time I fight for her. As a matter of fact, I don't have to fight. There isn't a war here. Simple as this, I'm going with Beca. This is what love is, and you know not a thing about it, Dean Posen."_

_"You will extricated from this family, Aubrey! If you leave here, you will never be allowed to come home!"_

_"Then I guess this is goodbye. You can take me out of the family, and you can keep that last name. As you can see, I'm engaged to be married."_

_"Though my dad's name isn't all that ideal either," Beca mumbled from beside her, and Aubrey took her hand. "Oh, which reminds me. Hanna, Warren, you can go now. We're all good here."_

_They only looked at her as Dean Posen's veins looked about ready to explode._

_"Just let me know when I can meet with the lawyers, Daddy," Aubrey went on calmly. "I know you'll want to legally remove me from yourself, so I will be compliant. Don't put it off though. We're leaving very soon. Dean Marshall, I am giving my two weeks' notice."_

_Dean Marshall grinned. "Very well, Dr. Posen. It's been a pleasure, and I wish you the best."_

_"Dean Marshall!" Dean Posen roared._

_"Don't go there, Thomas. You should be proud. Your daughter's much bolder than you are. Now if you excuse me, I have to give the director this notice. Oh, and Dr. Posen, I will be expecting a wedding invitation." _

_Aubrey nodded with a smile before going on. "Officers, please escort Dr. Swanson, Dean Posen, and Dr. Mitchell out of my office. I'm sure Senator Abram can find the door herself."_

_"Bree," Jesse whined. _

_"Oh, for the love of God, shut the hell up, Jesse. Now Daddy can adopt you and sell you to some gold digger."_

_"Yeah, that would make a great movie!" Beca gushed sarcastically, winking at him._

_"Or a rap video," Cynthia Rose piped up from the back._

_The officers obliged, Dean Posen yelling back the whole way, but Aubrey tuned it out. Chloe, Cynthia Rose and Amy stepped into the room after trading high fives. Chloe honestly had no idea what was going to happen after she had met with Aubrey earlier that day. She had only told the blonde what she already knew, adding in the tale of Senator Abram's arrival and Warren's confrontation with the Applebaums. She let Aubrey know that she would have a bigger family than she had ever dreamed of that _**_would_**_ tell her how proud they were of her in the end. To know that Aubrey had made the right choice in the end made her heart soar. So maybe she was a bit aggressive, throwing in some random threats, but she had meant well, and it paid off._

_"I believe you can leave now as well, Senator Abram," Chloe smirked now._

_"Beca, you are being ridiculous. You are eighteen, and a marriage would be destined to fail."_

_"Seriously? Beca scoffed. "You can say that to me?"_

_"I am not doing this with you. I just want to get you out of here, so I can get back to my life and stop having to babysit you."_

_"You mean stop having to be a mother?" Aubrey asked now. _

_"You need to-"_

_"_**You**_ need to stop right there," the blonde snapped, shocking the senator. "I don't care who you are, you have no more right than Warren to come in here making demands. My wife will be my responsibility, and our marriage will not be your concern. She has a mother and a father and friends and a fiancee that love her more than anything, and she doesn't need your ego and fear of the publicity to try and run her life. No matter how good of a politician you are, you failed at your moral duty as a mother, and for that, you hold no respect here. We've had enough of people like you, so please remove yourself from my office before I forget where I am and lose my nerve."_

_"I understand that you've all of a sudden become bold, Dr. Posen, but you will not speak to me-"_

_Aubrey's tone was cold now, but it remained calm, just above a whisper. "I will speak to you in whatever way I see fit as long as you're in my office. Therefore, it's best you leave because no cold, heartless bitch is going to come in here and disrespect MY fiancee."_

_"DON'T YOU DARE-"_

_"Excuse me, Bitch," Amy stepped in now. "No need to shout."_

_"Yeah, are you deaf?" Cynthia Rose asked._

_"Or do you need it in simpler terms?" Chloe added with a challenging quirk of her eyebrow. "That means 'get the fuck out before you get your ass beat', Senator."_

_"I AM THE SENATOR OF-"_

_"WE KNOW!" They shouted back. _

_"So as a senator, you must at least have an IQ high enough to know how to find the door," Chloe retorted._

_"Feel free to cut me out of your will too, Mom," Beca now spoke at last. "And take me off of your emergency contacts. As in, don't call me when you're dying or something. You are relieved of your 'biggest regret'. Bye now. And you can tell your ex-husband I'm leaving, so you can both forget your mistake now. All clear here. You are no longer parents, and you haven't been for a long time."_

* * *

_Chloe straightened Beca's navy blue bow tie for the millionth time. Benji had tightened his too much, and Jessica was now trying to rectify it. Stacie fixed Cynthia Rose's before pecking her girlfriend on the lips._

_"Ooh, you guys look so cute!" the tall brunette gushed._

_"Are you sure?" Beca asked nervously, pulling on her matching suspenders. "We don't look like ventriloquist dummies?"_

_Chloe, Stacie and Jessica shot one another a glance before bursting into giggles. The bridegroom, the best man and the best bro gave them unimpressed looks. Aside from that, Benji and Cynthia Rose were really excited. Beca had quickly given them the duties of Best Man and Best Bro, refraining from choosing either although it would have of course been Benji. She couldn't leave her best bro out however. Without CR, she probably would have never had the guts to pursue Aubrey, and they wouldn't be here. After the final stand against parents, the meeting with the Posen lawyers, pushing back the LA gig, some awesome cake testing (Beca's words) and grueling rehearsals and planning with Aubrey at the helm, they had finally made it a month after the engagement. Laura and Kenny, against all debate from the couple, paid for the entire ceremony. They now stood in a tent in a Northern Atlanta park beside a magnificent fountain, getting ready to go outside where the actual ceremony would take place._

_"You guys look adorable," Chloe assured them once she sobered, pinching Beca's cheeks. "You did your one job of choosing the suits very well, Becs."_

_"Hey! I tasted the cakes too," Beca defended._

_"Yeah, but you tried to pick them all. Bree still had to make the decision."_

_Beca pouted now. "We could've just taken them all."_

_"Beca Mitchell, are you pouting?"_

_"Nope."_

_"Deduct the badass points," Stacie sighed. "You were so pouting."_

_"Whatever. Let's go get married."_

_Beca situated herself in front of the altar with Benji and Cynthia Rose behind her. Chloe and Stacie rushed off to join Amy as the bridesmaids. Ashley was of course the maid of honor, and all of them were dressed in navy blue dresses that matched Beca's tie and suspenders. The brunette looked around, taking in the small crowd settling into the arranged chairs. There was Luke, Lily, Donald, Dean Marshall and his family, Chuck and the entire West Virginia family who refused to miss the most important day of Beca's life, Spencer and Laura. Kenny would be walking Aubrey down the aisle, and the blonde had been thrilled. She had become very close with the Applebaums in the last month, and Beca was grateful. She was more nervous than she had ever been, but at the same time, she had never been more at ease. Laura gave her a beaming smile, and she returned it, fiddling with her tie once more as the music began. Now the nerves were at the brink, and she inhaled a deep breath, holding it in as the curtains to the center tent opened up. The first to exit were Stacie, Amy and Chloe, taking the aisle like a catwalk as they waved to everyone and threw flower petals. With no children to utilize, they would have to do, and Beca had to chuckle. Ashley exited after them, continuing on with their spontaneous order of things to Aubrey's chagrin and Beca's relief. Beca's palms were continuously perspiring, and she rubbed them on her trousers thoughtlessly as she could now see Kenny's head. Bruno Mars' "Just The Way You Are" began in the background, the song she and Beca had first sung in the car on their way to West Virginia at Aubrey's request. Then she saw her._

_The breath in Beca's lungs was instantly constricted after a sharp gasp as she took in the sight before her. Bypassing the usual white dress, Beca focused on the smile that the other woman wore. It was the warmest, most relaxed smile she had ever seen on the taller woman's face. Her full, pink lips glistened with gloss. Her honey blonde locks were pulled up into a bun of curls splayed around the back of her head. Her bangs were pulled over half of her forehead, and immediately below that sat the prized jewels. Today, they were the deepest emerald, a crystal shine to them as the sunlight caught them through the veil. Never had they been so bright, and Beca was entranced. When they reached her, Benji nudged her back, and she quickly snapped out of it long enough to reach out and take Aubrey's hand from Kenny with a smile. She kissed the blonde's cheek as the music faded out, hastily falling back into a trance. It felt as if she had been waiting centuries for this. Looking at the woman across from her, the stars had aligned once more, and all was in its rightful place. Her heart beat faster and slower all at once, eyes glossy. Yes, Aubrey was that beautiful in her eyes, and she was in a completely other world until she was once again broken from her thoughts by Benji's elbow._

_"Now, Beca, please say your vows," the justice prompted._

_"Oh, I forgot I had to say something," Beca huffed, and everyone chuckled. She only donned her trademark smirk, taking the blonde's hands in hers. "What can I say about my Aubrey? Well, she isn't my better half, but..." Aubrey playfully scowled at her as the crowd snickered. "No, seriously. When I first met this woman, she was just uptight and wound up and had no idea what fun was. To the naked eye, she was just someone you never wanted to cross paths with, to steer clear of, and we butted heads every Thursday for an hour. Still, you know me. I had to be the rebel. I had to play with fire, and at times it burned like hell, but once I made it through those flaming rings, I found that beneath that, there was a beauty that was unmatched, uncontested. That smile. Man, that smile could light up the darkest of rooms. Of course, I had to stumble around in the darkness for awhile to find its switch, but when I did, it was well worth it. It still gives me butterflies. That laugh. It is the sweetest sound that I've ever heard, and I've heard many. It became my new favorite song above the thousands that I had heard in my lifetime. I could listen to it all day. Those eyes. They-jeez, what can I say about those eyes? They're like the royal jewels that were hidden in plain sight, but no one took the time to find. I found them, and I fell in love with them. I just-get lost in them. They light up when you get happy, and it is the most mesmerizing sight I have ever laid eyes upon. They are like every shade of green possible, and they always melt me even when they're like silver-green when you're angry." Another round of giggles as Aubrey smiled. "What you taught me in our time together is that beauty is not always seen at first glance. You taught me that love is all its cracked up to be. It's scary as hell, the leading cause of headaches and heart attacks, and it can drive you mad, but it is the most beautiful thing that could possibly happen in this lifetime, and you have to lose your mind before you can see it in all of its glory. Hans Nouwens said that 'in true love, the smallest distance is too great, and the greatest distance can be bridged.' We were worlds apart in the beginning, but we were able to get through to each other. A wise man also once told me 'ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough, to keep me from getting to you, Baby." Everyone chortled now as Beca winked at Aubrey. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I'm glad I took the time to anger the hell out of you because had I never ventured to make you hate me, you never would have loved me, so I'm glad I took that chance, and I'm glad you took it too in the end. I promise that every day of my life will be spent reminding you why you ever took that leap at all, and I know that after all that we have been through, no obstacle is too much to handle. Thank you for letting me see beneath your perfect."_

Aubrey's eyes were full of tears now, and they were slowly spilling down her face as Beca finished with a wide grin. Everyone was in awe at just how much Beca could actually say and how much it could actually mean, and the time of dry eyes was gone.

_"Now, Aubrey, please share your vows."_

_The blonde sighed, squeezing Beca's hands. "How can I possibly show that up?" _

_"You can't, so just do your best to score a little."_

_Everyone laughed as Aubrey stuck her tongue out at Beca, eliciting a wide grin from the DJ. "What can I say? I met my match. When I first met it, I was-so angry." Chloe giggled now. "When Beca first trudged into my life, five minutes late I might add, she was the most infuriating grade A pain in my you-know-what that I swear I wanted to just wring her neck sometimes. She was beautiful, sure, beneath all of those ear monstrosities, those tattoos and that overdose of eyeliner." More cackles."Still, I had no idea what to do with her. You tested my patience. You pushed every button I had, and you continued to push _**me** _to my limits. You challenged me constantly, and we battled for the last words every chance we had, but with every snarky comment and sarcastic response and condescending remark, you dug deeper and deeper under my skin and eventually into my heart. Beca, I could go on for days with all of the things that you taught me, but I really don't want to stand in this dress for that long." Another round of laughter, and she realized how bad it sounded. "I mean, not like that."_

_"Oh, we know, honey," Beca smirked, and she smiled._

_"See? Infuriating, but it's okay because with every reason you give me to strangle you, you give me a hundred reasons to to grab you and pull you into my arms and never let go. I fought you. I was stubborn and bull-headed, but I was lucky because you were just as stubborn and bull-headed as I was. I was weak, but you were strong enough for both of us. I was scared, but you were bold enough for both of stood your ground even when I pushed you way. I shoved, and you shoved back. I pushed, and you pulled, and you never let me fall, and then when I did fall, you caught me even though you're half my size." More snickers as Beca feigned shock. "You never left me even when I gave you every reason to. You loved me without limitations, and you loved me for me. What you taught me most importantly was to let go and be who I am. You taught me that it was okay to lose control sometimes and just be spontaneous. I realized that I had no control at all, and just because I tried to take control of what I could, it didn't mean that I had any power at all. You empowered me. You saw beneath the facade, beneath the rough edges and the dirt and grime of my past, and in true Beca Mitchell fashion, you teased me about it as you wiped it all away. They said you were too young, too naive, too unsure of yourself, but I knew better. You are wise beyond your years, and you taught me that love isn't pragmatic or sensible. Love is a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon with an everlasting impression to be left. You put a saying on a pendent for me that said 'Falling in love consists of uncorking the imagination and bottling the common sense', and though it was true, it took me so long to accept and admit it. Still, you stayed. Still you fought for me, and you proved to me that losing everything was worth it. Because though I lost all that I had ever known, I was given all that I would ever need. So for that and your unrelenting love for me, I vow to spend every single day of the rest of my life giving you back everything that you gave me. I vow to be by your side and fight beside you, and never again will I doubt what we have. I love you, Beca Mitchell. Thank you for teaching me what exactly that means. Falling in love is amazing, but falling in love with you? Nothing compares. Thank you for letting me see beneath your beautiful."_

_The reception was grand. There was dancing, drinking, food and family. No one could ask for more. Aubrey and Beca danced to their song, Beca singing "Beneath Your Beautiful" in Aubrey's ear the entire time. It still brought the blonde to tears as her head rested on Beca's shoulder. Everyone was taking pictures, Laura was still crying, and the other women were throwing out "awww's" left and right. _

_Aubrey and Beca made their way around the room, and while Aubrey took a dance with Chuck then Uncle David, Beca twirled Chloe around the room. _

_"Not too shabby, huh?" Beca asked with a smirk. "My first marriage at eighteen, and it came out a lot better than the senator said it would." _

_"Let's just make sure your first marriage is your last, champ," Chloe replied with a giggle. "Beca, just remember that you and Aubrey are nothing like your parents. You don't have to be like them in any way. It is because of them that you are stronger than they could ever be. It's not your situations that define you but how you choose to deal with them, and you chose to be better."_

_Chloe thought back to the conversation she had had with the brunette the night before, the first time since proposing that Beca's fear had gotten the best of her. She admitted her fear of marriage due to how her parents had wound up. Being a DJ wasn't all that different from being a senator with traveling and workload. She was afraid of ending up like her parents, but Chloe reminded the brunette that with Aubrey being her manager, they would be together more than they were ever apart, and there would be bad days, but with all that they had already overcome, what could possibly come between them? That had sufficed for Beca, and she was cool and calm once more._

_"Thanks for everything, Chlo," Beca mumbled into the crook of the redhead's neck. "Thanks for supporting the both of us from the start. You and your lack of personal boundaries made us all fast friends."_

_"Don't forget. I made Bree realize how much she loved you."_

_Beca snorted. "Yeah, because she was jealous of you!"_

_"So? I still made her realize it."_

_"Yes, Chloe, you bursting into my shower was the best thing that ever happened to us."_

_They shared a giggle, Chloe swatting her shoulder as the song faded out. Once it did, a soft voice filled the room from the front of the hall. Beca's eyes snapped over to find her wife with a microphone in her hand. _

_"I just would like to thank everyone for being here and supporting my wife and I," the blonde began, smiling around the room. "Thank you to all of you because you all took me in without judgement and loved me, and you all raised a wonderful woman that I am proud to call my wife." Chuck and the boys threw some whistles. "Now, everyone knows that my wife is musically inclined, and she loves to sing to me. Well, I love when she sings to me. I don't know about her." Everyone chuckled. "I thought I'd return the favor today though. I-I sort of stole one of your beats, Babe, and I hope that my songwriting isn't as bad as it felt at first. Cynthia Rose did help me though, so I think it was alright. So here it goes."_

As the blonde began to sing, Beca hurried closer, in awe at her wife's surprise. Everyone had expected her to write a song for them, and she of course had, but she had recorded it to give it to Aubrey as personal gift. Knowing that the blonde was about to sing to her at their reception over one of her beats was stunning, and she was instantly enthralled as the blonde's voice filled the room.

**_If I should die this very moment, I wouldn't fear  
For I've never known completeness like being here_****  
****_Wrapped in the warmth of you, loving every breath of you  
Still my heart this moment, oh it might burst_**

**_Could we stay right here till the end of time  
Until the earth stops turning  
Wanna love you until the seas run dry  
I've found the one I've waited for_**

**_All this time I've loved you and never known your face  
All this time I've missed you and searched this human race  
Here is true peace here my heart knows calm  
Safe in your soul bathed in your sighs_**

**_Wanna stay right here till the end of time  
Till the earth stops turning  
Gonna love you until the seas run dry  
I've found the one I've waited for, the one I've waited for_**

**_All I've known, all I've done  
All I've felt was leading to this  
All I've known, all I've done  
All I've felt was leading to this_**

**_Wanna stay right here  
Till the end of time till the earth stops turning  
Gonna love you till the seas run dry  
I've found the one I've waited for, the one I've waited for_**

**_Wanna stay right here  
Till the end of time, till the earth stops turning  
Gonna love you till the seas run dry  
I've found the one I've been waited for, the one I've waited for_**

**_The one I've waited for_**

_And as the blonde's strong and solid voice faded out, Beca rushed to pick her up in her arms. She once more fell in love all over again, and she was glad to call this the beginning of the rest of her life. _

_"I love you, Mrs. Mitchell," Beca whispered. _

_"I love you too, Mrs. Mitchell," Aubrey returned with a smile, pulling back in order to kiss her wife, a passionate kiss that drew another round of "awww's"._

* * *

"How did the interviews go?" the blonde asked, at last unloading the food bag.

"Ugh, they were dragging," Beca sighed, taking the seat beside her wife. "I missed you."

Aubrey smiled, leaning over and kissing the brunette's cheek. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

"I wanted to text you, but they kept looking at me."

The blonde giggled. "You're the center of attention right now, Babe. It _was _an interview. Of course they did."

"Were the movers okay? I wasn't too comfortable leaving you in a house full of men. I thought I'd be home much earlier."

"No, they were fine."

The brunette smirked. "You were barking orders, weren't you?"

"Of course."

"Some things never change."

"Are you complaining?"

"Nope, I fell in love with your control issues too. For better or for worse, remember? If I can't handle you at your worst, I wouldn't deserve you at your best."

"Mitchell, I already married you. You can stop kissing ass."

"Mitchell, I love you, and I vowed to show you how much I did every day for the rest of my life."

"Touche."

After dinner, the two made their way up to bed, Beca changing into her usual tanktop and sweats before pulling her wife into her arms.

"I'm sorry you were so lonely today, Babe," Beca whispered. "I missed you so much."

"It's okay, Baby, I understand," Aubrey returned, melting into the embrace as Beca nuzzled her neck. "Don't worry though. I'll make up for it come Thursday, so I hoped you enjoyed today."

"Oh, jeez. Who picks their wife as their manager? I am an idiot."  
She chortled as Aubrey swatted her arm. "You won't be saying that later. Trust me. I will be in business mode and not wife mode though."

"It's kinda the same thing."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm so proud of you for all of this though, and today was okay. Chloe kept me sane."  
Beca chuckled. "She told me this morning she planned to bug you all day."

"Yeah, they're planning to come out here for spring break."

"Good, so I can try and keep the week free for us. Luke will be here at the end of June, and he'll be helping you with marketing and management with his shiny new degree."

Aubrey chuckled. "At least it's someone that we trust."

"Right? Why do you think I'm so glad you had a business minor, you overachiever you?" Aubrey swatted her arm as she sniggered. "Oh, and Spencer will be here next month as well for her spring break."

Aubrey smiled at the thought of this. Beca's "sister" had been quite intimidating upon their first meeting. She was nothing like Benji. She was tall and slim with golden brown hair that fell in silky waves down to her lower back. She had tattoos all over the place, and her hazel eyes were piercing in the scariest way. She was not timid. She spoke her mind, and of course, she was protective of Beca, who she had watch grow up, so Aubrey naturally was given "the talk" the day that they met.

* * *

_"Aubrey, I presume?" the tall brunette inquired as she set her bags down._

_Laura was out going over the order for the flowers with the florist to make sure it had been correct, and Chloe, Aubrey and Ashley were at the Applebaum house going over the planning with just a few days left before the ceremony. CR, Benji and Beca were out picking up their tuxes. Aubrey had been the one to answer the door._

_"Yes," the blonde replied._

_"Come with me."_

_Her billowy yet firm tone demanded this, and Aubrey was instantly nervous. Spencer was much too calm and cool for comfort, but Aubrey followed. Ashley and Chloe threw her a smirk from the table as the blonde headed into the backyard with the other woman. Once she shut the door, Spencer turned sharply on her heel to face the blonde, and Aubrey tensed._

_"So," she said with a drawl, her eyes scanning the woman before her before boring into Aubrey's. "I'm Spencer. I'm the big sister. You're the woman we're handing my little sister over to in a few days. Therefore, I'd rather get right to it. I don't get to see the little one often. After heading off to college across the country, I couldn't be here for her the way I would have liked, and I know that a lot of things happened these past few months that would have gone a lot differently had I been here. However, now that you two are moving, I'll be MUCH closer. So listen here. No matter how much of a hard ass Beca comes off as being, she's sensitive. She never shed a tear in her life around us, but I could always tell when she was off, so if I ever call, and she sounds off, I will be giving you a call. If I'm not satisfied with the response or the situation, I will be paying you a visit. Simply put, do not hurt my little sister because it will be the last you consciously do. Understood?" Aubrey could do nothing more than nod vigorously, and once she did that, a grin at last cracked across Spencer's face. "Good. That's all I had to say. Welcome to the family."_

With that, she took a shocked Aubrey into a warm hug and not a minute too soon because with anymore tension, Aubrey would have definitely broken her no-puking streak of three weeks, and she had expected it to at least last until the morning of the wedding.

* * *

"Are you still scared of her?" Beca smirked.

"No, not all," Aubrey scoffed. "Intimidated a little, yes, but I'm not scared. She warmed up to me after the initial scare tactic."

Beca chuckled. "Don't worry, Babe. She loves you. Do you like the house though? Is it spacious enough?"

"Yes, it's perfect. As long as you're coming home to it, I'm fine."

"Look at you getting all sappy. I think I love you a little more."

"Stop being an ass, Mitchell."

"I'm not being an ass, but hey. I was wondering if I could possibly ask you out on a date tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? I thought you had to be out east tomorrow?"

"Well, I was, but Adeline wanted to give me some time to get situated, and I told her that you were home alone today, so she said that any woman who can pick up and follow me across the country deserves some TLC. She gave me the day to relax."

"Then yes, you can ask me out."

Beca smirked. "Will you go out with me tomorrow? Pretty please, Mrs. Mitchell?"

"Mmm, I'll never get tired of that. Yes, I will go out with you, Mrs. Mitchell."

"I'll surely get tired of it. Having my dad's name is no better than having yours."

"Oh, come on. It's a little better. Or would you rather be Applebaums?"

"Hey, that would be kinda cool. Or Epsons. Or Deans or Beales or...literally anything else."

"Nope, regardless of my egotistical, big-headed, garbage dirtball father-in-law, I fell in love with Beca Reagan _Mitchell, _so we keep the surname."

Beca grinned. "I love you."

"I love you too."

_**Love is a sweet tyranny, because the lover endureth his torments willingly. ~ Proverb**_

* * *

_**A/N: DID I HAVE YOU GOING! I HOPE SO! LOL SORRY**_


	21. I Guess I Can Say Thank You Now

**_A/N: Okay so there will be an epilogue after this. I just did this because this was originally part of the last chapter, but it got too long, so i cut this into its own and moved up the time frame. Tied up some things. gave everyone a happy ending, you know. Considering a sequel but I have two other sequels and a new story in the works with some collaborators so this will have to wait if we do decide on that. _**

**_Song: Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars_**

* * *

_Never had much faith in love or miracles_

_Ooh!_

_Never wanna put my heart on the line_

_Ooh!_

_But swimming in your water is something spiritual_

_Ooh!_

_I'm born again every time you spend the night_

_Ooh!_

_'Cause your sex takes me to paradise_

_Yeah, your sex takes me to paradise_

_And it shows, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_'Cause you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Yeah, you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_You bring me to my knees, you make me testify_

_You can make a sinner change his ways_

_Open up your gates 'cause I can't wait to see the light_

_And right there is where I wanna stay_

_'Cause your sex takes me to paradise_

_Yeah, your sex takes me to paradise_

_And it shows, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_'Cause you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Yeah, you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Can I just stay here?_

_Spend the rest of my days here?_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Can't I just stay here?_

_Spend the rest of my days here?_

_'Cause you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Yeah, you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

* * *

The night sky glimmered with an array of bright stars above. The waves crashed softly against the shore, the moon sitting comfortably on the horizon, casting a trail of light along the slick, black surface. Beca lay on the sand looking up at the stars. Aubrey lay beside her, upside down, their heads right beside one another. They still had some time before the plane that currently carried Chloe and the gang landed at LAX, and they were relaxing. Beca reached up to stroke blonde curls as Aubrey giggled at her wife's antics.

"So you're saying that you want to invest in a bus with your face on it?" Aubrey repeated.

"Hell yeah!" Beca returned. "I mean, I think it will be more fun than taking a plane all of the time, and plus, it's shameless self promotion. Flying from LA to Frisco is hardly a fun time too. I don't even get to nap."

Aubrey chortled. "Of course you would have sleep as a top priority."

"Of course. Think of it this way. If we drive more when I'm on tour so much, and you're working out everything, then we can spend more time with the our four kids before the nanny takes them while we drive. Amy said she would totally be our designated bus driver."

"Four kids? I swear it was three yesterday. And two the day before."

"And it will probably be five tomorrow. That isn't the point. Think about it. I have the best manager in the world. We're destined to be big."

"Big enough to start five college funds?"

"Big enough to start _six_ college funds and finish seven."

Aubrey burst into more laughter at that, leaning up to kiss Beca's head. "Ambitious."

"That's how I got you, right?"

"Right. You know, the gig at Saint Charles was really amazing. Did you set up that light show?"

"Yeah, I did. It took me forever to synchronize my mixing board with the lighting software, but I got it down."

"They're looking at you for performer of the year already."

"That may have had to do with crowd surfing after stage diving off of the booth."

"Yeah, and you're lucky you're small. Otherwise, it would have been a trip to the ER."

"Yeah, I really didn't think it through. It just happened when they all started chanting."

"You get a rush from the praise, Babe. It's understandable. They want you to sing on the album."

"Yeah, I know, but I wanted to ask if-"

"Nope."

"What? I didn't-"

"Beca, I am your wife. I know you, and I know what you're gonna say."

"Babe, can you at least consider-"

"Nope."

"B-but, you love me."

"Oh, don't even use that card."

"You do, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Beca! Really? That was low!"

Beca snickered. "Honey, you sang at our wedding. It's not all that different. Plus, Luke will be here by the time we have to record it, so he'll do all the engineering, and no one else will be in there except for him and I. Come on. Please."

Aubrey pondered it a moment. "I'll-maul it over."

"Thank you!" Beca planted a kiss on her wife's temple softly. "Did I ever tell you that I love you?"

"All of the time, but I never get tired of hearing it."

"Well then, I love you."

"I love you too. Now, come on. Let's get going. Everyone will be in soon. What time will Spencer arrive?"

"Her plane gets in at ten ten. So about twenty minutes after the others."

"Okay, and you have reservations at Tommy's?"

"Yes, ma'am. He said he would stay open as long as we needed."

"You gave him the correct amount of patrons?"

Beca rolled her eyes as she stood up. "Yes, honey, twice."

"I'm just making sure."

"You're always just making sure."

"Someone has to."

"No objection there."

Beca reached down, entwining their fingers as they headed towards their cars. The soft breeze washed over them, sending Aubrey's hair flapping around. Beca pulled her beanie lower on her head to tame her own. She looked down at their hands, the matching tattoos shining in the moonlight. Beca had figured that the best way to warm Aubrey up to her newfound freedom was to get some ink, a privilege the blonde had never had or even considered. Up the side of Aubrey's right wrist, the words read "_Being loved by someone gives you strength" _and on Beca's left wrist it read _"while loving someone deeply gives you courage". _Together, they formed a quote by Lao Tzu that spoke volumes to the couple. They still had their nights of intellectual debate and philosophical matches, and it kept them bound intelligently while also letting Beca being romantic and badass all at once. Each morning, whoever left first would leave a sticky note, which Aubrey now called them as so at Beca's insistence, with a quote on it on the other's forehead. Beca had started it, doing it each morning when she had to be in the studio, and Aubrey soon caught on. She began doing it as well, getting up earlier just to catch up. In the last month in LA, all had become increasingly better. They didn't have a routine. Marriage was routine, but marriage with Beca was anything but. She lived by that spontaneity rule, and Aubrey had adapted to it. She loved it. She loved being surprised and amazed, and she fell in love with Beca more and more everyday. This was how it was supposed to be, and she couldn't help but think how boring of a marriage to anyone else, namely Jesse, would have been. She never regretted the choice she made. Sure, it still crossed her mind here and there, but then Beca would flash that dopey grin that Aubrey had only started seeing after the wedding, and Aubrey knew she could never live without that grin reserved only for her. This was all she could ever want.

The airport, even at nine forty-five on Friday night, was packed beyond belief. Aubrey held Beca close, knowing it would be impossible to find the small woman if she was swept up by the crowd. They made their way to the correct gate, finding a spot safe enough to stop outside of the flowing current of travelers. They were just in time too because moments later, there was a flash of red hair from the top of the escalator before them followed by a head of curly brown hair and some blue-streaked hair. Beca grinned as their friends stepped onto the descending staircase, and when Chloe spotted them, she squealed. She jumped from about the fourth step into Beca's arms, and the brunette chuckled.

"Hey, Chlo," she greeted.

"Oh, Becs!" she squeaked, kissing the girl's cheek before grabbing Aubrey. "Bree!"

"Hi, Chloe," Aubrey giggled.

"Where's Spencer? Is she here yet?"

Beca quirked an eyebrow, but before she could ask the question, the answer was given.

"Yes, B! She has the hots for our big sister!" Benji admitted. "They Skype like all the time. She calls Chloe more than she calls me."

"Me too then," Beca sighed.

"What? We're just friendly," Chloe defended.

"Always, Red," Beca smirked.

Benji stepped off of the escalator and embraced Beca. She buried her face into his chest, hugging him tightly.

"Hey, bro," she said when they parted.

"Hey, B," he returned with his usual dopey grin. "How's it going here in LA?"

"Eh, we're getting used to it. We miss you guys though."

"Well, we're here!" Amy's voice now boomed, gaining a few looks from passerby as she stepped off of the escalator. "Let this city feel the fat power!"

Aubrey and Beca chortled as Amy pulled them both into her embrace. "Hey, Amy!"

"Hey, it's my Short Stack and Tall Fry. How are ya?"

"We're okay, Amy," Aubrey replied as they parted.

The others greeted the couple, Cynthia Rose and Stacie coming next followed by Jessica and Ashley, who had taken some vacation time to come. Lily and Donald were visiting Lily's parents in San Francisco, but they would be down before the end of the week. Luke would also be in town for the gig Beca had on Friday, but he had gone home to visit his own family since he would be relocating to LA at the end of the year. Once they had all picked up their luggage, Aubrey took them out to load up the car while Benji and Beca waited for Spencer. They spoke about school, Beca's work, life at home and their parents back in Georgia. Despite Beca being eighteen, Kenny and Laura, for all intents and purposes, had at last legally adopted her rather than just being guardians put in place when her mother first left after Warren. For anyone else, it was a minute detail. For Beca, it was a soothing thought that if anything went wrong where both she and Aubrey were injured or something happened, Laura and Kenny would take the reigns. When Beca and Aubrey started their family, this would be vital to the situation, and it made Beca feel at ease.

Before the others returned back, Benji and Beca were suddenly grabbed around the neck, both in a headlock. They began flailing, not understanding what was happening. Then they heard the deep chuckle of their sister, and they hung their arms, gasping for air. Before releasing them, she brought their heads to bump together. They both stood up, rubbing their foreheads.

"Still so easy," she smirked. "How are my baby brothers doing?"

"I thought you said it was this gate!" Beca shrieked, hitching a thumb over her shoulder.

"Yeah, but if I told you the right gate, my greeting wouldn't have worked."

Beca scowled. "You're evil."

Spencer grinned. "I missed you too. Where's everyone else?"

"You mean, where's Chloe?"

Spencer feigned shock. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Yeah I could tell by how she asked for you first. They went to load the car. Let's get your luggage, so we can go. We have reservations."

"This late?"

"The perks of being a DJ for Young and Restless Records I suppose."

"Nice. Are we gonna see you spin before we leave?"

"Yeah, I have a gig Friday. It was a compromise to get the week free of meetings."

"Nice. They obviously got the short end of that stick."

Once they made their way at last out of the airport, they found the others gathered in the lot. Everyone greeted Spencer, who they had grown on during the days of the wedding. When they at last settled everyone into Beca's car and Aubrey's car, Beca thanking the heavens that she was able to get Aubrey to trade in the Prius for a Cadillac CTS, they set off towards the restaurant babbling the entire way. When they reached it, the owner gave them a warm welcome before leading them to a private area in the back. There were still a good amount of people in the main dining area, so Beca didn't feel too bad. When everyone had given their drink orders, the conversation began.

"So how's the work going?" CR questioned.

"It's alright," Beca replied. "I mean, it's not much yet. I do a lot of gigs, and we've traveled California, but the big stuff will probably get started this summer if we keep doing well."

"What's it like having the wife with the iron fists as your manager?" Ashley asked innocently, Aubrey shooting a glare at her as the table chuckled.

"It's-" Beca looked nervously at her wife. "It's-an adventure." More chuckling. "No, but really. We get things done. I know I wouldn't be half as close to sealing the record deal without her. I'm allergic to professionalism, so she's here to fix that."

"Yeah, it's definitely an adventure getting her to do as I say for once," Aubrey sighed. "Then again, if she always listened, we wouldn't be here."

"Damn right, woman."

The table laughed heartily.

"How's the home front though?" Spencer inquired now as their drinks arrived.

"Interesting," Aubrey replied, sipping her Dr. Pepper and cherry vodka, a favorite she had taken from her wife. "It's never predictable."

"Ooh, sounds fun," Chloe sung, wiggling her eyebrows as Aubrey blushed.

"That isn't what I meant, Chlo."

"Of course it wasn't, Bree." Chloe and the others giggled as she and Beca traded a high five beneath the table before Aubrey swatted her spouse's arm.

"What?" the brunette questioned, a shocked expression on her face.

"I know you two already," Aubrey simply returned.

Chloe and Beca only smirked at each other. She texted the two all of the time, and their shared video calls with the redhead had increased substantially after she and Tom had broken up, finding that the guy was seeing someone else for several weeks at the time. She dumped him during dinner when the girl in question came up, kissed him and asked if Chloe was his sister. Beca had always had a hunch that he was more of a douchebag than she had originally guessed, but Chloe seemed to recover quickly enough. Plus, hearing that she and Spencer, who now sat beside her opposite Beca, were still in contact after the wedding was a bit soothing.

"Hey, just no sex while we're in town," Spencer warned.

"Oh, does that rule apply to you too?" Benji retorted.

"Pshh, no."

"Chloe's rooming with anyone else." Chloe only giggled as Spencer smirked.

"Don't worry though, Sis, Aubrey took care of me all week to hold me over," Beca assured her triumphantly, and Aubrey could only duck her head from the daggers now shooting out of Spencer's eyes in her direction.

* * *

A week in LA was all that they could ever dream of. Beca took Cynthia Rose on a tour of the recording studio. She also took Benji to some sort of comic and superhero convention. On Wednesday, they took it to the beach where they could enjoy a beautiful spring afternoon. Beca sat near the water, watching as Chloe and Aubrey took on boogie boarding. Spencer came and sat down beside her with a sigh.

"So, Little Sister," she said, ruffling the shorter brunette's hair lovingly. "How's the married life going? Like really?"

Beca chortled. "It's going really well."

"Even working together all of the time?"

"Yeah, but that's because when we're at work, she's in business mode. She's my manager. I'm her client. We don't act like wife and wife unless we're debating something, and even then, it's more brutal than at home. We never hold it against each other at home though. We keep it separate, ya know?"

"Well, that's good. Ben says that she's been good for you. I had my reservations when I first heard you were marrying your professor, but she seems like a nice woman."

"She is, Spence. She-well, she makes me remember that nothing's impossible. Since we moved out here, she's more relaxed than ever, you know. There's no worries anymore, and she doesn't hold back. I mean, it kind of sucks because she doesn't have anymore happy stories to tell from her childhood, but she doesn't let it bother her anymore. She's-different. Better."

"You know, B, I always knew you would meet your match. Even when it was me who swore off love with you when we were younger." They chuckled.

Beca playfully nudged her shoulder with her own. "Well, it looks like you're about ready to break that vow as well."

Spencer smirked. "Hey, Red, is-very persuasive."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I'd give you details, but-I'd rather not go there."

"What? She barged into your shower while you were singing?"

"You-she told you?!"

Spencer cackled. "That's what I love about her. She doesn't hold back. She's a cool chick."

"Well, she's my best "girl" friend, so watch yourself."

"Oh, you know me. We're not different in the least, B. We have a reputation to uphold in our minds, but in the end, we're just two badasses that wanna be loved. It just took us a long time to admit that fact."

"Yeah, you're right. Well, I mean, I did try to be just like you growing up."

"I did do my best to be there for you."

"Thanks, Spence."

"For what?"

"For being there. For being the big sister I never had. I mean, I had our dopey brother." They chuckled. "He was great, but having an older sister that actually liked girls at the right age they were supposed to made it so much easier. It took Ben awhile, you know. Like, when I came out to you, and you told me you liked girls too like it was normal. It made it feel better."

"Feels normal to me. Mom and Dad would never judge on that, B. Honestly, they thought Ben was gay until he was like thirteen." They shared another laugh. "They love you though. We love you, and we'll always be family."

"Yeah, I know."

"I know you're used to people leaving, but you don't have to be anymore. No one's leaving without a fight. I mean, Hanna's really lucky I didn't get a full ride to Barden because I would've been there to whoop her ass."

"I know you would've."

Spencer through an arm around her. "I'm glad you came out like me, but I'm also glad that you were a lot stronger than me. I never would've fought the way you did for Aubrey. I mean, that could be a lie seeing as I've never loved anyone as much as you love her, but you kept fighting, kid. When we swore off of love, you had just lost your parents, and I had just finished dating a girl who was ashamed of who she was. We grew up though, and you proved to me that maybe it isn't too bad when you find the right person. I mean, you figured it out at eighteen, way before me. I know that you weren't all too confident growing up, but B. You're an amazing kid, and I'm proud to be your family."

"You were my idol growing up, Spence. I never would've come this far without you."

"Yeah, but you also wouldn't have broken so many hearts in high school without me." Beca snickered. "I did teach you both good and bad, but I'm glad you figured it out for yourself."

"Still, thanks for being there."

"Always will be, kid."

"Hey, Babe," Aubrey came up now, breathing hard from boarding. "Chloe wants you."

"O-Okay," Beca replied, standing up.

She pecked Aubrey on the lips before rushing off down the beach to where the redhead stood. Aubrey watched her go before sitting down on the vacant towel. Spencer smiled over at her.

"I guess I can say thank you now," the brunette said softly.

"For what?" Aubrey asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

She jerked her head towards Beca. "That's the single most important girl in my life apart from my mother, and you're doing a pretty good job of keeping her stable."

"What do you mean by stable?"

"She-I wasn't the best influence on her growing up, you know. I was bitter, and she followed me in that. I knew it was easier for her with her parents and all to be that way, but-I mean, we swore off love together. It isn't like she was that much younger than me, only three years, but to her, it was big. When she came out to me, I was in my first real relationship. Then that girl tore me apart, and we swore off love. With that, she became the heartbreaker, you know, and it fit her. I egged her on, and-I mean, it could have ruined her. Luckily, she figured it out when she met you."

"I never would've guessed. Beca Mitchell? A heartbreaker?"

Spencer snorted. "She was one hell of one too. She just-she had that charm, you know? Who doesn't like a bad boy? Every girl in our school did, and Beca was just the best of both worlds. She was sweet and charming, and she knew what they needed. She didn't really mean to mess up, but-the feelings scared her once they came along. It wasn't that she didn't care. It was that she felt she cared too much, you know."

"Yeah, I understand. I-I guess I should be a lot more grateful. I mean, I always have been, but-I know how hard it was for her. She became accustomed to people taking off, and she thought that it was right, and it wasn't. Still, she believed in me."

"You're not so bad, Aubrey." Spencer smirked now. "You make her happy. She needed that challenge. She needed someone to put her in her place. She needed someone to fight for, to make her fight for what she wanted. Had you made it easy, she would've run, but Beca Mitchell doesn't like losing, you know. Still, she managed to fall in love with you in the process, and that's an achievement in itself. For that, I'm grateful because I never wanted to see her destroy herself, pushing people away and all that."

"I know, but I'm really glad she had a family."

Spencer smiled now, full and genuine one. "We loved her. She was-so closed off, and-she just-" She chuckled now at a memory. "She was so against everything, but she was the cutest thing. I mean, did she tell you how she and Benji met?" Aubrey shook her head. "Well..."

* * *

_Eight-year-old Beca sat out on her front porch, arms crossed over her chest with her lower lip slightly jutting out. Her mother had just forgotten her again, and her father was still at the office though school was out. After walking home from the playground where her mother had left her, she found that the spare key was not under the rock near the door the way it usually was. This left her sitting on the front step. She looked around, waiting for something, anything to happen. She then heard the door to the house next door open and close. She glanced over to see the small, skinny curly-haired boy running around making sound effects with two light sabers in his hands. Beca scoffed internally. The family had only moved in a few days ago, and she had seen them through the window. Like many people, she tried to avoid them, and she succeeded so far. However, today, that streak was to be broken as the little boy caught sight of her sitting on the porch looking angry. He donned his dopey grin and rushed over._

_"Hi, I'm Benjamin Applebaum," he said proudly. "You can call me Benji."_

_"I don't wanna call you anything," the small brunette grunted._

_"Hey, is that a power ranger shirt?"_

_"Maybe."_

_"I have one too. What's your name?"_

_"Why?"_

_"Because that's how you make friends."_

_"I don't want friends."_

_"Why not?"_

_"I don't have friends."_

_"Now you do."_

_She looked up at him now, eyebrows raised. "What the heck is a friend anyway?"_

_Benji pondered it a moment. "Well, they play with each other and stuff."_

_"Not like a boyfriend and girlfriend, right?"_

_"No, just friend friends. Like, uh, we watch movies."_

_"I don't like movies."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because they're dumb. I already know what's gonna happen."_

_"What about-Star Wars?"_

_"Darth Vader is Luke's father."_

_"You did watch it!"_

_"No! Not all of it. I fell asleep before the end."_

_"Then how did you know that? You can't guess that."_

_"Vader in German means father."_

_"H-how do you know that?"_

_"My daddy's a teacher."_

_"Oh, now I understand why you don't have friends."_

_She gasped, and he giggled. "Well, you're not a good friend either. I don't think friends should be mean."_

_"I was just kidding. Come on. We can make a new ending."_

_"What? How?"_

_"Just come on."_

_Without warning, he tucked one light saber under his arm and grabbed her hand, yanking her up and onto the grass. He then handed her a light saber. _

_"Come on!" he cried when she didn't move as he danced around. "Fight me!"_

_And she did. Beca took one look at the blue light saber in her hand before pulling back and chucking it at him. Hard. It hit him square in the eye, and he fell onto his back with an "oomph!" She watched on in awe, not really sure she would hit her target. Tears were rolling down his face, and after a moment, Beca felt remorse. She rushed over to him, unaware of the pair of eyes that had been watching the whole scene from the kitchen. Spencer made her way to the front door as Beca kneeled down beside Benji._

"Hey, you okay?" she asked.

_He sat up slowly, wiping his eyes. "Yeah," he sniffled._

_"I-I hit you. You're crying. Shouldn't you tell on me?"_

_He grinned at her now, patting her shoulder. "No, Silly. Best friends don't tell on each other."_

_She was shocked. "_**_Best_**_ friends? We're best friends?"_

_"Yeah, and we take care of each other and eat pizza rolls and-well, we can find something else to do without light sabers."  
She couldn't help but smile now. "Okay, I think I can do that. Sorry about your eye though."_

_"It's okay. Nice throw. Now, come on. We can go in my house and eat ice cream. Do you like chocolate chip?"_

_She grinned. "That's my favorite!"_

_"Mine too!"_

_And neither cared if they were one another's only friend at the time. They were best friends._

* * *

Aubrey rolled around on the sand clutching her sides, breathless from the laughter as tears rolled down her face. Benji and Beca walked up with raised eyebrows.

"You told her the light saber story, didn't you?" Benji groaned.

"I can't believe that Beca didn't!" Spencer shot back.

"Slipped my mind," Beca shrugged, flopping down beside her wife.

"You were trouble even then, Mrs. Mitchell," Aubrey sighed, curling into Beca's side.

"Hey, when a kid tells you to fight him, you use what you have. I fought him."

"I meant duel fight, like hit my light saber with your light saber not hit me in the eye," Benji chided.

"Okay, Dude, I said I was sorry for like five years. You weren't supposed to tell, remember?"

"I didn't! Spencer saw it, and _she_ told Mom and Dad, not me."

"I didn't tell them to get you in trouble, B," Spencer explained. "I did it because it was adorable, and it all worked out. You guys bonded or whatever."

Benji and Beca chuckled, hands on one another's shoulders. "An eye for an eye I guess, or an eye for a friendship. He and dad are the only dudes I've ever loved."

"Well, if you want five kids, I doubt you're getting all girls."

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Besides, I don't think I could handle all girls. Five Aubrey's in one house? Please hold."

Next thing Beca knew, she was landing on her back in the sand as Aubrey had swept her leg at the brunette's ankles. Now Aubrey hovered over her as Benji and Spencer snickered.

"What was that, Honey?" Aubrey asked in a sickly sweet tone.

"I-I hope our daughters come out just like you," Beca breathed hoarsely.

"That's what I thought I heard." Aubrey pecked her cheek.

"Of course, honey."

"She gets better and better!" Spencer snorted.

"Sure," Beca croaked, sitting up. "She's going to be the death of me."

"Hence, the life insurance policy I took out," Aubrey nonchalantly added on.

Beca gave her a bewildered look. "Wh-what!"

"What? You think you're gonna knock me up five times and just leave me high and dry?"

"I don't-I can't even-I won't-ugh, fine. Just kill me now!"

"Oh, no." Aubrey pulled the brunette into her arms now, kissing her temple. "I'd miss you too much, Mitchell."

Beca grinned into her wife's shoulder but tried to hide it. "I guess I'd miss you too."

"I know."

Beca looked up with a smirk before tackling the blonde to the ground and pressing their lips together, a passionate kiss that gave Aubrey butterflies and took her breath away. When they at last parted at the clearing of Spencer's throat and Benji's snicker, Beca gazed down into her favorite pair of emerald eyes.

"I love you, Mrs. Mitchell," Beca whispered. "And I'm okay with you being the death of me because you're the life of me too."

Aubrey nearly burst into tears at that. She reached up, cupping her wife's cheek delicately with a soft smile.

"You, Beca Mitchell, are one of a kind," she breathed. "There would be no life without you."

"Don't worry. There will never have to be. You're stuck with me, Mitchell."

"Best news I've heard all day."

* * *

**_"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. _**

**_A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. Soul mates, they come into your life to reveal another layer of yourself to you..._**

**_A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master..." -Elizabeth Gilbert_**


	22. Surprises Are The Only Thing Routine

**_A/N: So here's the epilogue. I wanna keep it going, but as I said before, I have other things I'd like to do. I know that the sequels Im working on weren't really expected, but I had an idea, and my collaborators really loved the idea, so im rolling with it, so Im game. Also, yes, I believe we will be trying out the inter sex and/or trans story, but we are still working out the story line there. I do plan to do more Mitchsen in the future if I dont continue this, but I really enjoyed writing this story. So here it is._**

**_Song: I Swear - All 4 One_**

* * *

_I swear by the moon_

_and the stars in the sky_

_and I swear like the_

_shadow that's by your side_

_I see the questions in your eyes_

_I know what's weighing on your mind_

_you can be sure I know my part_

_'cause I stand beside you through the years_

_you'll only cry those happy tears_

_and though I make mistakes_

_I'll never break your heart_

_I'll give you every thing I can_

_I'll build your dreams with these two hands_

_we'll hang some memories on the wall_

_and when (and when) just the two of us are there_

_you won't have to ask if I still care_

_'cause as time turns the page_

_my love won't ever age at all_

_and I swear (I swear) by the moon_

_and the stars in the sky I'll be there (I'll be there)_

_I swear (and I swear) like the shadow that's by your side_

_I'll be there (I'll be there) for better or worse_

_till death do us part I'll love you_

_with every single beat of my heart and I swear_

* * *

Aubrey viciously massaged her temples. She had been doing so for the past half hour and still had yet to soothe the throbbing pain in her head. She sighed another deep breath, eyes closed in order to forget about the calendar in front of her. Once again, it was overbooked, and she wasn't sure she could handle another month of this. When she came to terms with the fact that the calendar was not going to cease to exist at her will, she allowed her eyes to flutter open, adjusting to the small squares before her. She went over the dates again, tweaking and adjusting in any way that she could. Soon enough though, she was back to sighing heavily and rubbing her temples.

"Hey, Boss," Luke's voice wafted from the door. "Are you-"

"Nope."

"Do you wanna-"

"Can't."

"Who has-"

"Spencer."

"When does Beca get back from-"

"Three more days."

He entered the room now, aware that she was stressed. "Hey, Bree, I know it's hard with the schedule so crowded, but sitting here stressing over it won't do any good for anyone. Just call it a night, huh? We come back and handle it later after you get some sleep."

"I can't. I have to-"

"Bree." He resorted to that firm tone when he knew that if he didn't get her to call it soon, she was going to begin getting nauseous. That was her cue, knowing he was not going to relent. "Even the janitor's getting ready to leave."

"The janitor isn't organizing DJ Rebel B's schedule," she growled.

"No, but he knows when it's time to call it a night, or morning, even if he didn't empty every trash and clean every office in this building."

She looked up at him now, meeting the concern in his cloudy grey eyes. He was not going to back down. He would have in the beginning by now. When he began working with the blonde woman, he would quickly be intimidated with one look and acquiesce to her demands. Then Beca became scarier, warning him to get her wife out of the office sooner to prevent her from working herself to death. That was his oath to the brunette. Besides, this morning was special.

At last, Aubrey huffed a breath and gave him a nod. She looked over at the clock to see that it was six in the morning. That meant Luke was just coming in. That meant that she had once again stayed all night. Spencer was certainly going to kill her, and if she didn't, Aubrey's wife surely would when she returned from recording in New York. Luke waited a few more moments to make sure she stood up, and when she did, he gave her a nod of approval before leaving the office. She packed up her laptop and other materials, opting to leave the calendar where it now sat, as if she didn't have it drawn up in her computer as well. She shut down her desktop Mac computer and headed out of the label headquarters. She now realized just how tired she was as she slid into her car, and she refrained from yawning. Turning the music up to keep herself awake, she pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. She would head to Spencer's after a few hours sleep. After all, it was six. No one would be awake. As a matter of fact, Chloe was probably still at the hospital. Yeah, Spencer could scold her later.

Aubrey pulled into the driveway of their home, neglecting to open the garage door and park inside. She grabbed her bag and headed inside, unlocking the door and immediately kicking off her heels beside it. She locked it once more, throwing her laptop case on the couch and trudging up the stairs towards bed. If she waited any longer, she would surely fall asleep standing. She shed her coat as she went along, removing her earrings and beginning to unbutton her blouse. She stopped however when she opened the door to the master bedroom. The sight before her left her breathless as she clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. Her wife was home early, and so were the others. Beca sat in the center of the bed, enthralled with the Saturday morning cartoons now displayed on the TV though her eyes drooped, the side effects of jet lag evident. Four-year-old Riley was snuggled into her left side. Her twin sister Hayden was on the opposite side. Two-year-old Bentley sat between Beca's legs, head lolling back on her stomach. Baby Wesley was curled up on his mother's chest sleeping soundly. Beca was stroking both sets of honey brown locks on either side of her thoughtlessly, and Aubrey's heart swelled at the sight of her family. The kids were supposed to be with Spencer, but here they were as was Beca. When Aubrey stepped fully into the room, her wife looked up, and a grin spread across her face.

"Hey, Princess," she whispered.

The twins and Bentley looked up. "Mommy!" they squealed, causing Wesley to stir slightly.

"Shhh, guys, your brother's sleeping," Beca whispered.

"Sorry," they replied in an equally quiet tone.

Aubrey strode over to the bed, kissing the head of each of them and lingering on Beca's lips.

"You're home early," Aubrey hissed.

"I missed you guys so much, so I put in overtime and got done early," Beca replied. "Now, go get changed and come lay down with us. I know you wanna sleep, and these guys do too because I woke them up kinda early, so I'll make breakfast once you wake up."

Aubrey had no choice but to oblige, smiling at her wife's control in the family situation. They had been married for six years, and to this day, Beca never ceased to amaze her. If anything in their lives was routine, it was the surprises. Beca never disappointed or failed to deliver. She was on top of it at all times. Even at only twenty-four, she was an amazing mother to their four children, and though Aubrey had carried them, Beca had the same motherly instincts, tending to them easily and reading them in order to know what they needed at any given time. Bentley had still somehow managed to inherit blue eyes. Anyone would say it was from Aubrey's paternal side of the family beyond Thomas Posen, but Aubrey and Beca would simply say that he had his mother's eyes. The twins shared Aubrey's deep green eyes, hair a lighter brown that became lighter in the sun. Wesley, now six months, had a full head of honey blonde hair. Bentley had brunette hair completely, but he had his blonde mother's sharp features. Regardless, they were the most precious human beings in the world to the couple, and each child was reminded of it everyday despite their parents' past.

When Aubrey finished changing, she slid into bed with her family. Bentley immediately scurried over to her, curling into her side and nuzzling into her neck. She smiled, kissing him on the cheek as she wrapped an arm around him.

"Wuv you, Mommy," he whispered, and her heart swelled.

"I love you too, Baby," she replied.

Riley adjusted herself, scooting closer to her brunette mother so that Aubrey could do the same, the blonde's body the shape of a crescent as she rested her head on her wife's shoulder. The elder kissed Beca's forehead softly.

"I missed you," Beca said.

"I missed you too, so much," Aubrey returned.

"I got in at like four, straight flight. I picked up the kids before Chloe left back to the hospital, and we came home."

"So Spencer was still sleeping?" Aubrey smirked now.

"Yeah, that woman wakes up for nothing. God forbid one of the kid's screamed in their sleep if Chloe wasn't there."

"Yeah, well when they stay with Ben and Jessica, Jess is a lot more alert."

"She has reason though. She had twins too, so she knows what to do."

"Yeah, but even before that. She's been watching ours their entire lives, and our twins are three months older than Cade."

"Yeah, true. I guess my sister just isn't ready for kids."

"Not with Chloe working all of the time. I mean, they barely made it through the wedding."

"Well, once she finishes out the residency or whatever, I'm sure they'll have more to add."

Aubrey smiled now. "I think we've had enough help from Stacie."

Beca chortled softly. "Right? I mean, how the hell did she manage triplets. She's like a hundred pounds. I don't see where she hid them."

"Well, they were expecting twins. Miles was sort of a surprise."

Beca's laugh intensified as she thought back to just over a year prior when Stacie had their triplets. "CR was freaking out because Ariana and Ty had already come out, and Stacie was still cutting off the circulation to her hand screaming."

"I'm pretty sure I did the same thing when Riley came out. We didn't expect twins either."

"No, _you _didn't expect twins. I knew my little girl wasn't making you that round all by herself."

Aubrey swatted her arm gently so as to not wake Wesley. "You're saying I was fat? Because you told me when I asked you that I wasn't!"

"Well, now that we can be honest without your hormones going crazy." Beca chortled. "You're still beautiful, Babe. Trust me. Pregnant you is sexy."

"So you're really ready for another one?"

Beca shrugged. "I told you we were having seven. Why do you think I have Luke trail you so much? You're gonna need a lot of time off, so he needs to master the craft."

"Are you sure this time? Is that your final answer?"

"Eh, maybe eight."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Why don't you carry the rest then?"

"Because you make beautiful babies, honey. I want all of them to look like you."

"Bentley still looks like you."

"I got lucky there."

"No, we just picked a donor with stronger genes that time."

"Then we'll do that again."

"You are such a guy."

Beca shrugged once more. "Can't argue with that."

"That's why the twins call you daddy."

"That is Daddy!" the twins squealed.

"No it isn't why," Beca retorted. "That's Benji's fault."

Aubrey snorted a laugh. "And why is that?"

Beca huffed. "Because Cade calls Benji 'Daddy', and they call Benji 'Uncle Ben', and Benji made Cade call me 'Uncle B', so they caught on and figured I'd be Daddy too."

Aubrey giggled. "My girls are so smart."

"Just like you, Mama," Riley mumbled, and Aubrey smoothed her hair back.

"That's right, sweetie."

"And Luke told me you've been pulling all-nighters again, woman," Beca went on. "You really need to stop doing that, Babe, especially when we do have another one."

"I know, but-your schedule is so swamped right now," Aubrey huffed.

"I know but only a little longer, Babe. After the Grammy wins, everyone kind of got the hint. Once we finish my album, Selena Gomez's album and CR's album, I'll have some time to spare. I'm gonna take some time anyway. I haven't had more than a day or two home with you and the kids all year. I barely made it when Wes was born, and I wanna see him grow up. I've only held him a few times since he was born, and that is not okay. Chloe sees him more than me."

"I know, Baby, and I try not to worry too much because I know you always do everything in your power to make time for us. We just miss you."

"Yeah, Daddy, we miss you," the twins piped up in unison, a usual happening.

Beca ruffled their hair. "I know, and I miss you guys too. Hey, how about we go to the zoo tomorrow? Would you guys like that?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, we'll do that tomorrow then. Plus, Grandma and Grandpa will be here for Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks."

"Really? We miss them too!"

The couple never got tired of their twins' impromptu collaborations. "They miss you so much, and they can't wait to see you. They have to meet Wes."

"Which reminds me," Aubrey now said, reaching over to grab her phone. "I read something interesting on the internet today."

Aubrey pulled up a webpage on the device before handing it over to Beca. The blonde watched her wife's face intently for a reaction. Beca's eyes bulged then narrowed, going from shocked to appalled to angry then to ashamed before at last returning to nonchalance.

"Senator Abram speaks out pro-choice, falls devastatingly behind in election polls," Beca repeated as she went over the headline again before turning to her wife. "Huh. I'd say she had it coming, but...no, she had it coming."

Aubrey giggled. "You're damn right she did."

"Mommy, language," Riley whispered.

"Sorry, honey."

"Who's 'sensor' Abram?" Hayden asked, causing her parents to glance at one another.

The twins had always known Laura and Kenny as their grandparents. Neither Warren nor Hanna had attempted any type of contact with the couple since their last stand in Barden six years prior, and that had been fine. Neither was offended. They had not heard from the Posens either, and no one was voicing any complaints. They were content with the Applebaums, and their children were as well.

"She's just a very mean lady," Beca replied softly, running a hand through her daughter's hair.

"Like-like a monster?" Hayden asked.

"Yeah, just like that."

"I don't like monsters. She not coming here, right?"

"No, Baby, never," Aubrey said now. "Even if she did, I would never let her hurt anyone in this house."

"Yeah, your mommy's a certified monster hunter," Beca added.

"Really?" the twins gasped.

"Yes, really."

"Hey, so is your daddy," Aubrey defended, Beca rolling her eyes at the title. "She beat up a lot of monsters and saved Mommy a long time ago."

"Oh, goodness! What happened, Daddy?"

Beca instantly grinned now, glad to tell the tale. "Well, there was once a big, mean monster, and he put Mommy in a cage. Then he had another little dorky monster who tried to take Mommy away and put her in his own cage forever and ever. Then, I came along, and I started talking to Mommy. She didn't like me at all at first because I always made mean jokes, and-"

"Why were you mean? Don't you love Mommy?"

Aubrey smirked as Beca went on. "Yes, I do. I love your mommy more than anything, but I didn't know it at the time. I wasn't smart yet, you know. Then Mommy taught me how to be smart, and she saved my heart."

"There was another monster that took your heart, Daddy!"

"Yeah, 'sensor' Abram." This elicited another gasp as their eyes shot up to look at her. "Mommy saved me though. She took my heart out of the freezer it was in, and she made it work again. So then I saved her from the cage. I beat up the monsters, and I saved Mommy, and now you're here."

"Wow, that's awesome! Did the monsters hurt you?"

"They tried. They almost did, but I never gave up. I kept fighting because I realized that I loved your mommy, and I needed her. If I left without her, I would miss her too much, so I beat them."

"Yeah, but we not supposed to fight unless they're monsters, huh, Daddy?"

"Yeah, that's right, honey. You only fight mean monsters if they try to hurt you, but you never hit anyone else."

"Yeah, but, Daddy, Uncle Ben's not a monster. He said you hit him in the eye with a light saber."

Beca scoffed as Aubrey stifled a giggle. "Did he now?" The twins nodded. "Well, I thought that Uncle Ben was a monster at first, but then I found out he wasn't, and I said I was sorry. For like sixteen years now." Aubrey nudged her, but she only shrugged.

"You're a good Daddy," Riley yawned, snuggling closer to Beca.

"Thanks, Princess, I hope so."

"Yeah, you are," Hayden agreed with her own yawn. "You're great. Who else would pour me my cereals and sing me to sleep? You're the best."

Beca and Aubrey only smiled down at their daughters as they joined their brothers in sleep. Once their breathing evened out, Beca looked over at her wife. They leaned in, capturing one another's lips in a soft kiss.

"We make a pretty amazing family, Mrs. Mitchell," Aubrey sighed in content as they parted.

"I'd have to concur, Mrs. Mitchell," Beca replied. "I don't know where I'd be without it."

"I know where I'd be."

Beca chuckled. "Yeah, so do I."

"Thank you for saving me from those monsters then, Honey."

"Hey, no problem, Princess. I'm your knight in chucks and skinny jeans, remember?"

"How could I ever forget?"

"Just making sure."

* * *

"Grandma! Grandpa!" the twins squealed when the two came into view.

"Hey, there are my girls!" Kenny boomed, dropping his bags and scooping them up.

"Oh, where's my little guy?" Laura asked as she approached.

"Gamma!" Bentley called, and she quickly took him from Beca's arms.

"Hey, sweetie," Laura greeted Beca, kissing her forehead.

"Hey, Mama Bear," Beca returned.

"You have the kids today?"

"Yeah, all of them except Wes. He's with Spencer and Chloe."

"Oh, I need to meet him!"

"Well, they're at the house. Aubrey just had some papers to drop off at the label, and she'll be home."

"You better not be working this week, Becs," Kenny warned.

"Don't worry, Papa Bear, we're clear."

"Good."

"Now, let's go, so you can meet your newest grandson."

Once everyone was settled into Beca's SUV, brand new navy blue Suburban shipped out courtesy of Chuck, she headed towards their home, now located overlooking the sandy beach on a patch of land Beca had purchased shortly after the twins were born.

"So, how's the business going?" Kenny asked beside her.

"Oh, you know," Beca sighed. "More traveling this year after the Grammy's, but it's settling down. More artists are coming out here to work on their projects."

"Oh, you worked with Pink, didn't you?" Laura asked with a smile.

Beca chuckled, knowing of the woman's love of the artist. "Yeah, I did."

"How was that?"

"She's really down to Earth, you know. Actually, she'll be in town for a show Saturday night, and I-I sort of told her that my mom was a big fan, so-she may have given us backstage passes."

"What!?" The children gave their shrieking grandmother a bewildered look. "Oh my gosh! Thank you so much!"

"Hey, well I figured it could pass as an early birthday present."

"You spoil your mother too much, B," Kenny chortled.

"Like you guys didn't spoil me. You paid for-"

"Do _not _bring up the wedding again. There is no way you were paying for your own wedding."

"I would have been using Hanna's money though."

"No, Becs, as your parents, we took care of it."

"Grandpa, are you Daddy's Daddy?" Riley questioned.

"Daddy? I-" Beca squinted her eyes, raising her hand shyly. When realization donned on Kenny, he barked a laugh as Laura giggled to Beca's chagrin. "Oh, right. Yes, I'm Daddy's daddy." He leaned closer to Beca now. "Explain."

"You can ask your son about that," Beca huffed.

Beca pulled up to the gate outside of their property, punching in the code before the wrought-iron gave way. They reached the house, pulling inside of the driveway. Aubrey's car was already there, and Beca was relieved. She knew that the label executives had a habit of keeping her at the label even when a visit was meant to be short. Beca and Kenny grabbed the luggage while Laura picked up Bentley, and they made their way inside. Aubrey, Chloe, Ashley, Spencer and Jessica sat at the table.

"Grandma!" Cade squeaked, jumping out of his mother's lap.

"Hey, Buddy!" Laura greeted as he hugged her legs.

"Hey, Mom and Dad," Aubrey, Jessica, Chloe and Spencer greeted, taking turns hugging them.

"Hey, girls. Chloe, Jessica, Aubrey, are you keeping our kids in check?" Kenny asked in a playfully stern tone, raising an eyebrow at them.

"Always," they replied with a giggle.

"Our kids sure know how to pick them," Laura sighed with a laugh.

"Well, I did teach them everything I know."

Reagan and Aiden, Cade's twin brother and sister, toddled into the room as Beca returned from putting the bags in the guest room, and Kenny scooped the one-year-olds up into his arms.

"Look at all of our grand-babies growing up so fast," Laura breathed, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Don't cry, Grandma!" Cade whined. "I promise you can still buy me toys."

"Yeah, and ice cream!" Riley and Hayden sung, causing the adults to laugh.

"Oh, good then," Laura chuckled. "Now, where is the new edition to the family?"

"In the nursery," Aubrey said as she stood, but Beca stopped her.

"I got him, Babe," she assured her wife, pressing a kiss to her forehead before going upstairs.

"She's so good with them, isn't she?" Laura asked proudly.

"Yes, she is," Aubrey sighed in content. "I thought she was crazy wanting so many, but she is amazing, and they love her so much as do I."

"Hey, she does pretty well coming from the parents she came from."

"Oh, no, she may have been conceived by them, but she was raised by the best of parents just like Benji and Spencer."

Beca returned moments later with little Wesley snuggled in her arms. Laura let out a gasp as she looked down at him. He was growing quickly, and his hair was long and wavy. When he heard his grandmother gasp, his hazel green eyes fluttered open. He looked up to see Beca, and a joyous giggle escaped him. Beca chuckled.

"Wesley, meet your grandparents," she told him with a kiss to his head, and he smiled. "Grandma and Grandpa, this is Wesley Andrew Mitchell."

"Oh, you really did give him Benji's middle name?" Kenny chortled. "I thought he was kidding."

"Well, he did give Reagan mine," Beca returned.

"Hey, where is he anyway?"

"Finishing up at the hospital," Jessica informed them. "He should be here in the next hour or so."

"What about Stacie and CR, Babe?" Beca asked Aubrey now. "Have they called?"

"Yes, they're leaving San Diego within the hour."

"Nice."

Soon enough, as promised, the house was filled with family. Cynthia Rose, Stacie and the triplets arrived shortly after Benji made his appearance. When Tyson saw Beca, he sprinted as fast as his legs could take him and rushed into her arms. He had become very drawn to her since birth, always ceasing his tears when she held him. With Cynthia Rose working at a San Diego studio underneath Beca's label, they saw each other a lot. Aubrey loved having all of the kids over. It was just another perk to the life that she had chosen to lead, and she never forgot the decision she had made to earn it. It was etched in the several sentimental tattoos she had, and she never allowed herself to take it all for granted. In six years, Beca had given her many a reason to cry, scream, shout and hold grudges, but the brunette never gave her a reason to regret their life together. That was because everyday in those six years, Beca always reminded her how much she meant to the brunette, how important she was. Beca had stayed true to her vows, and Aubrey never had to question if Beca was still in love with her. It was evident.

As Beca flopped down on the couch, Bentley climbed into her lap. He patted Tyson's head lovingly, causing Stacie to giggle beside Beca, before snuggling into his mother. Miles soon appeared in the taller brunette's lap.

"They're so precious," Stacie sighed, running a hand over his brunette locks.

"Right?" Beca agreed. "You can't tell me that six years ago, you pictured all this."

"I damn sure didn't picture triplets." They chuckled, looking over at CR in the armchair holding Ariana. "You're right though. I would've laughed in your face if you told me I'd be married with three kids at twenty-four. I really would have just died of laughter."

Beca chuckled, bumping their shoulders together. "True, but had we followed a plan, we wouldn't have these guys."

"You're right, B. Had you let Bree 'follow the plan', she wouldn't have that big ass smile on her face right now!" she said a bit louder, and Aubrey turned around.

"Are you talking about me?" Aubrey asked, stepping over and sitting beside her wife.

"Yeah, we were just discussing how you wouldn't be smiling right now had you stuck to a plan."

"And I'll never forget that." She pressed her lips to Beca's.

Stacie scoffed. "Six years, and you're still the googly-eyed couple we love to hate and hate to love."

"Right!" Chloe chirped now, sitting on the arm of the couch beside Aubrey. "You've changed so much since we first met you, Bree. In a good way."

"As in, she no longer looks like she just ate a whole bag of sour skittles?" Beca chuckled, Aubrey slapping her shoulder. "Hey, for the record, she hasn't puked outside of pregnancy in like three years, and even then, it's sporadic. Well, other then the day that Riley fell off of the slide and started screaming bloody murder. Bree puked while I ran to check the kid."

They all laughed now. "It was my first mother-child event involving pain," Aubrey sighed. "Well, besides birth, but that was different. Crying is expected."

"You cried more than both of the twins put together."

"Shut up!"

"Ooh, we showed up late that time!" Chloe whined. "Tell us the story."

* * *

_Aubrey gave Dr. Watts the large push she had suggested, and instantly, the sweet sound of a hollering baby girl filled the room, warming Beca's heart. She looked over at Dr. Watts holding her daughter, and the doctor gave her a quick thumbs up before handing the infant to the nurse. What caught Beca's attention then was the fact that Aubrey's hand was still restricting all blood from flowing through her fingers. The brunette looked back at her wife to find her face with the same distorted, painful look occupying it. Beca now gave her a worried stare._

_"Baby," the DJ hissed. "She's here. It's over."_

_"No!" Aubrey immediately shot back through gritted teeth. "No, it can't. It still hurts!"_

_Beca gave Dr. Watts a confused and fear-filled look, and Dr. Watts was looking at Aubrey with concern. The blonde was still pushing, and she was still in the same amount of pain. Dr. Watts began to walk toward her cautiously from the opposite end of the bed, when suddenly she yelped "oh!" and dropped to her original place between Aubrey's feet. Aubrey was now giving yet another push with every last bit of strength in her, and Beca was now in a full state of shock for sure. When a second scream circulated through the room, she shot her gaze back at her wife, who was now more relaxed but holding the same bewildered look as Beca._

_"Um, congratulations, Mrs. and Mrs. Mitchell," Dr. Watts said in a nervous mumble. "You have twins! Two girls!"_

_The words seeped oh so slowly into Beca's skin, and her heart was in her throat. It wasn't fear. It wasn't sadness. It wasn't disappointment. It was just simple shock from God throwing them a wicked curveball, and the brunette could almost feel His hearty chuckle as they became aware of His freshest blessing to their family. At last, when Beca's heart rate slowed and Aubrey's hand had eased up on her own, she looked over to where the nurses were cleaning their girls. She was in awe at the sight, her heart speeding up once more. She could see already that they were stunning, and Aubrey's nose was a very distinguishing characteristic even now. Beca looked over at her wife. However, the expression Aubrey's face now held was not what she had expected._

_"Honey, why are you crying?" Beca asked, leaning over her wife to wipe the tears. "Baby, they're already here. They're both here, and they are beautiful."_

_"You-you mean, there's really t-two of them?" Aubrey sniffled, looking up at her wife._

_Beca smiled. "Yes, Baby, and they both look like you so much. They're so precious."_

_Aubrey started crying harder. "I-I was wrong. I-I must've been so f-f-fat!" _

_Beca bit back a laugh. "Oh, no, Baby, not at all. You couldn't even tell you were having twins. That's why no one knew. It's okay. It's just-we got a double surprise. God was really rooting for us on this one, I think."_

_"B-but, we-we only planned for one! Now we have to-to get double everything! I-I'm a horrible mother. I-I should know how many kids are inside of me."_

_"Princess, there are women out there who don't even know they're pregnant until one day, they sit on the toilet and a baby pops out."_

_Aubrey's sobbing ceased for a split second, her eyes widening in realization, and Beca's mimicked the action because she realized it was the wrong thing to say._

_"Oh-oh my gosh!" Aubrey cried. "I-I'm-they're gonna make a TV show out of me! I'm horrible."_

_"No, Baby, that's not what I'm saying-"_

_"But that's what you're thinking, isn't it! I'm the jerk! I'm the woman who didn't realize I was having twins, and now my babygirl has to share her sister's clothes."_

_"Baby, Baby, Baby, listen, it's okay. It happens. Spontaneous, remember? Even Dr. Watts thought we were only having one. It's okay. We'll be fine."_

_"Dr-Dr. Watts didn't know, did she?"_

_"No, baby, she didn't, and she's a gynecologist! Our baby almost delivered herself."_

_Aubrey pouted now, tears slowing as she sniffled. "Y-yeah, you're right."_

_"Yes, Baby."_

_"B-but I-I was-so fat!"_

_"Hey." Beca cupped her cheeks now, looking deep into her eyes. "Aubrey Gabrielle Mitchell, you listen to me, okay? I had to look at you everyday. I woke up to you every morning. I went to sleep to you every night. Two years ago, one year ago, nine months ago, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one month ago. And right-now. This very second. You are the most beautiful woman on the face of this planet, and nothing in this world will ever change that."_

_Those green eyes lit up like sparkling gems, just the way Beca liked them. "R-really?"_

_Beca smiled, loving when her wife was so vulnerable and childishly adorable. "Really, Princess."_

_Aubrey smiled now as well as Beca wiped her tears away. "Thank you."_

_"No need to thank me. Anyone can see that."_

_"Well thank you for vocalizing it."_

_"Well, if anyone else vocalized it, I'd rip out their vocal cords." _

_Aubrey giggled. "You are the most amazing wife on this planet."_

_"Well then we will have to agree to disagree because I believe that title belongs to you."_

_"Mrs. and Mrs. Mitchell," the nurse's voice now came from beside Beca. "Names for your two daughters?"_

_"Well, the first is Riley Jade Mitchell, and-the second?" She looked at Aubrey now._

_"Umm," the blonde hummed. "Well, how about Hayden? That was our runner-up choice."_

_Beca pondered it a moment before she smiled. "Hayden Elaine. That's Mama Bear's middle name." Aubrey nodded gleefully._

_"Okay," the nurse said. "Are you ready to meet your little girls?"_

_The two parents nodded once more, and another nurse came in with a child in each arm. _

_"Okay, so which one is which?" Aubrey asked. _

_Beca took a look at each of them, the nurses giggling at her concentrated expression. She looked them over for a long time before leaning towards the nurses._

"Um, which one's the older one?" she asked nervously.

_"This one," the nurse replied, slightly lifting her left arm._

_"Okay." Beca took this one and handed her to Aubrey. "This one is Riley. And this one." She took the other. "Is Hayden."_

Aubrey gasped as she looked down at their first daughter, and the feeling was unreal. That pull she had always felt in Beca's presence was now transferred into this little girl. She was the gravity keeping her grounded, and Beca felt the same as she gazed down at Hayden. The air whooshed from their lungs, eyes glazed over as if they had just been handed the world's most sought after treasure. 

_"They are beautiful," Aubrey at last breathed softly._

_"Yeah," Beca nodded, kissing her wife's forehead gingerly. "They are. Just like their mother."_

_Aubrey smiled. "I can't believe we have two now."_

_"Hey, at least we got a head start on the whole six."_

_"Six now?"_

_"Eh, maybe seven."_

_The blonde giggled. "You are an enigma, Mrs. Mitchell."_

_"You love me, so I really don't care what I am."_

_"They're going to love you too."_

_"Well, good because the feeling's mutual." She tickled Hayden's chin softly. "This will never get old, you know."_

_"What?"_

_"Building a future with you. It'll never get old."_

_"We can agree on that, Love."_

_"Good, because I don't want it to stop."_

_"We're bound for life. That was the vow."_

_"And I'd make it all over again."_

_"I love you, Mrs. Mitchell."_

_"As I love you, Mrs. Mitchell, so let's keep taking over the world together."_

_Aubrey grinned now. "I'm game."_

* * *

Aubrey swatted her wife once more as the brunette finished the tale, Stacie, Spencer and Chloe giggling madly.

"Are you still game, Mrs. Mitchell?" Beca asked now, her smirk in place.

Aubrey, though trying to remain angry, could not deny that smirk, and her resolve broke. "Yes, I'm still game, Mrs. Mitchell."

Beca captured the blonde's lips in a sweet kiss, sealing their vow once more as they did every day. No, no one foresaw twins, but then again, no one foresaw many things in their lifetime. No one foresaw Beca going to Barden University. No one foresaw her falling for her Philosophy professor, and no one saw this aforementioned professor falling for Beca as well. No one guessed that the blonde would ever defy her father, leave Jesse, quit teaching and follow a nineteen-year-old alt girl with mad lib beats across the country to California after getting married. No, no one foresaw any of this, but that was okay because the best things in life crept up on you. Love was not pragmatic. It was not for the sensible or logical. It was made for those that could uncork the imagination and embrace spontaneity. It was for those that could shut off their mind and open up their heart. That was love after all, a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon, but if you did it right, you would only need it once, and it would last an entire lifetime.

They fought. There were tears. There was yelling. There were disagreements and arguments and nights spent on the couch for Beca. It wasn't a fairy tale or a movie. There was no script to avoid the bad. They weren't perfect. However, that had always been the thing. Beca had never wanted perfect, and she taught Aubrey that she never _needed _perfect. And maybe sometimes being married to Beca Mitchell was a bit harder than being perfect, but the reward was much greater, and it showed in the eyes and smiles of their children, in their laughter, in the sweet kisses good night and the morning philosophy quotes that had been going strong for six years. It was always evident, and no one ever questioned the decision made six years prior. This wasn't perfect, but this was real, and that was all they had ever wished it to be.

* * *

**_"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.." -Nicholas Sparks_**


End file.
